Red-tailed shrike

Red-tailed shrike
Conservation status
Not recognized (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Laniidae
Genus: Lanius
Species: L. phoenicuroides
Binomial name
Lanius phoenicuroides
Schalow, 1875

The red-tailed shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides) is a member of the shrike family (Laniidae). It was formerly considered conspecific with the isabelline shrike and the red-backed shrike. The red-tailed shrike breeds in south Siberia and central Asia.

This migratory medium-sized passerine eats large insects, small birds, rodents and lizards. Like other shrikes it hunts from prominent perches, and impales corpses on thorns or barbed wire as a larder. It breeds in open cultivated country, preferably with thorn bushes.

The plumage is a sandy colour. It has a red tail.

References

    Further reading

    Identification

    Vagrant occurrences

    External links

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to Red-tailed Shrike.
    Wikispecies has information related to: Lanius phoenicuroides