Red-tailed Shrike
Lanius phoenicuroides
Small, plain shrike of dry, open areas with low shrubby cover. Gray-backed and white-bellied, with a black mask and a rusty tail and crown. Very similar to the closely related Isabelline Shrike, but look out for Red-tailed’s stronger white brow, reddish crown instead of a gray one, and cleaner underparts. Perches on exposed bushtops, posts, and wires, from which it primarily hunts for insects and arachnids. Like other closely related small shrikes, incorporates mimicry into songs and gives harsh, rasping calls.
Identification
The plumage is a sandy colour. It has a red tail.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Lanius phoenicuroides
- Authority
- (Schalow, 1875)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Laniidae
- Genus
- Lanius
Range and habitat
The red-tailed shrike breeds in south Siberia and Central Asia.
- Breeding range
- PAL : c Asia to Pakistan
- Non-breeding range
- sw Asia and e Africa
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Brown-breasted Parakeet
Pyrrhura calliptera
This medium-sized parakeet is restricted to the eastern Andes of central Colombia. Like other species in the genus, it is mostly green with a pointed tail. Look for the reddish-brown neck and breast with a scaly pattern, a maroon tail, and a bright yellow patch on the forewing. Small flocks occur in cloud forest from 1,800 to 3,000 m. Often seen in flight, but perches in the canopy to feed on fruit.
Eastern Crested Berrypecker
Paramythia montium
A medium-sized bird of upper-montane forest and shrubland. Mainly slaty-gray color with green back and yellow lower belly and sides. Note the black face, chest and crest which it can hold up or down. Also note the striking white mark from behind the eye to the back of the head. Can be found singly, in pairs, or in small flocks, which sometimes join mixed flocks with other birds. Very similar to Western Crested Berrypecker, but little or no overlap in range, and separated by longer white mark behind eye, brighter green back, and yellow along the sides. Not very vocal, but does give various scratchy calls and a nasal “wek!”.
Fulvous-crowned Scrub-Tyrant
Euscarthmus meloryphus
Very small grayish-brown flycatcher. Note dull buffy color around the eye and on the crown. Occurs in dry areas and pastures with scattered trees and bushes where it mostly forages near the ground and is typically difficult to spot. It is very noisy, emitting fast sputtering calls, sometimes in a duet. Disjunct range includes northern Venezuela and Colombia and eastern Brazil to Argentina.
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