Scientific name: Lanius minor J. F. Gmelin, 1788
Bird group: Shrikes
Field characters. 20 cm. Resembles Great Grey Shrike and especially Southern Grey Shrike in structure and colours. Upperparts darker grey than Great Grey; mask, flight feathers and tail black, wing with white bar, tail with white side. Chin and throat white, underparts pink. Differs from Great Grey and Southern Grey in smaller size, more extensive black mask, extending on forehead, no white above mask and on scapulars, longer wings (folded wing-point about 1 to 1 1/4 times length of tertials), and higher, heavier bill. Often sits more upright. Sexes similar, although female has less black on forehead. Juvenile barred and similar to juvenile Great Grey Shrike and Southern Grey Shrike, with extensive black mask of adults missing. Habits like other shrikes, but less agressive than Great Grey and Southern Grey. Often seen along roads on electricity wires.
Voice. Call 'sheck' and 'krèkrèkrè'. Song warbling, with harsh and clear notes.
Distribution. Rather common summer visitor.
Habitat. Dry open woodland, fields and pastures with scattered bushes and thickets, and forest-steppe.
Food. Large insects and small vertebrates, captured from perch. Eats more insects than Great Grey Shrike. Occasionally takes fruit.