Lesser Grey Shrike

The lesser grey shrike, Lanius minor, is a striking bird with a distinctive black, white, and grey plumage. The males are particularly notable for their pink-flushed underparts, which add a subtle warmth to their appearance. This medium-sized passerine is slightly smaller than its cousin, the great grey shrike, and can be recognized by its black forehead and proportionately longer wings.

Identification Tips

When identifying the lesser grey shrike, look for the black nape, cheeks, ear and eye coverts, and the front part of the crown. The back is a pale bluish-grey, and the rump is a similar but paler shade. The underparts are predominantly white, with the lower breast and belly showing a pink suffusion. The bird's wings are black with buff tips and white bases, and the tail feathers are black with white tips and bases, with varying amounts of white on the different pairs.

Habitat

The lesser grey shrike favors dry open lowlands and can often be observed perched on telephone wires. It thrives in open countryside, cultivated areas' edges, heathland with scattered bushes and trees, gardens, coppices, and roadside trees.

Distribution

This species breeds in South and Central Europe and western Asia during the summer months. It migrates to southern Africa to overwinter, returning in the spring. It is a scarce vagrant to western Europe, including Great Britain, typically appearing as a spring or autumn erratic.

Behaviour

The lesser grey shrike is known for its hunting strategy, often perching conspicuously as it scans for prey. It consumes large insects, such as beetles, butterflies, moths, and grasshoppers. Unlike its behavior on breeding grounds, where it may hover during hunting, it does not hover while moulting on non-breeding grounds. This bird is also known for impaling its prey on thorns or barbed wire, creating a "larder" for later consumption.

Song & Calls

The call of the lesser grey shrike is a sharp, shrill sound, befitting its Old English name "scríc," which means "shriek."

Breeding

The nest of the lesser grey shrike is often situated in a roadside tree, providing a clear view of the surroundings. Both parents construct the nest, which is lined with soft materials such as wool, hair, roots, and feathers. The clutch typically consists of five to seven eggs, which are bluish-green with greenish-brown blotches or cream or buff with pinkish-brown blotches.

Similar Species

The lesser grey shrike can be confused with the great grey shrike, Lanius excubitor, and the Iberian grey shrike, Lanius meridionalis. However, it can be distinguished by its smaller size, black forehead, and longer wings.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the lesser grey shrike is primarily composed of large insects. It occasionally supplements its diet with fruits such as cherries and figs. The bird is known to impale its prey on thorns, although less frequently than other shrike species.

Conservation Status

The lesser grey shrike is listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN, with an estimated global population of two and a half to nine million individuals. However, the population in Europe has been declining, possibly due to wet summers affecting insect availability and changes in agricultural practices. Consequently, it is listed as a threatened species in Annex I of the European Commission Birds Directive.