Common Fiscal

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Common Fiscal

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Laniidae
Genus:	Lanius
Species:	L. collaris

Binomial name

Lanius collaris
Linnaeus, 1766

The Common Fiscal (Lanius collaris) is a member of the shrike family. Otherwise also referred to as Fiscal Shrike, it is found through most of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also sometimes named a Jacky Hanger due to its habit of impaling its prey on Acacia thorns to store the food for later consumption.

1 Identification
2 Habits
3 Habitat
4 Status and distribution
5 Call
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Identification

This is a fairly distinctive 21-23 cm long passerine with white underparts and black upperparts extending from the top of the head down to the tail. The bird has a characteristic white 'V' on the back and a relatively long black tail with white outer feathers. The bill, eyes and legs are black.

The adult male and female Common Fiscal could only be confused with Fiscal Flycatcher, although the white wing bar is restricted to the lower wing of the latter, which also lacks the heavy hooked shrike bill of Common Fiscal. Adult male and female Common Fiscals are quite similar except for the rufous lower flank of the female. A western race is distinct in showing a clear white eyebrow.

Juveniles offer more challenging identification issues. A likely source of confusion is with juvenile Red-backed Shrike, the main difference being

the lack of a white eyebrow which is present in juvenile Red-backed Shrikes,
barring on the belly instead of the crescent marks present on juvenile Red-backed Shrike,
a browner back than the rufous back of Red-backed Shrike.

[edit] Habits

Common Fiscal is usually solitary and hunts insects and small rodents from an exposed perch or the tops of shrubs. Territorial size is directly related to the density of hunting perches. Installing more artificial perches causes the fiscal to reduce its territory size, and allow more birds in a specific range.

[edit] Habitat

A wide range of habitats from grassland with fences for perching to Acacia thornveld or even woodland. Avoids very dense habitats where hunting would be impaired.

[edit] Status and distribution

Common throughout southern Africa except Mozambique and extreme northern Zimbabwe.

[edit] Call

A jumbled mix of shrike-like swizzling sounds including some imitations. Also a harsh Dzzzttt-dzzzt-dzzzt alarm call.

[edit] References

BirdLife International (2004). Lanius collaris. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey and Warwick Tarboton, SASOL Birds of Southern Africa (Struik 2002) ISBN 1-86872-721-1