Chinese Gray Shrike
Lanius sphenocercus
A beautiful silvery shrike with gray upperparts, white underparts, a black mask, and white in the wings. The white patches in the black wings and tail are especially conspicuous in flight. Found in open areas with scattered or scrubby vegetation, frequenting agricultural fields in the winter; often sits on tall and exposed perches. Vocalizations include harsh rasping notes and more musical, liquid ones. Can be similar to the smaller Northern Shrike, but look out for Chinese’s gray rump, slender pale eyebrow, and more extensive mask. Also similar to Giant Shrike, but smaller, with a paler gray back and a white eyebrow.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Lanius sphenocercus
- Authority
- Cabanis, 1873
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Laniidae
- Genus
- Lanius
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- PAL : e Mongolia, se Russia, ne China and n, c Korean Pen.
- Non-breeding range
- to se China
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Rufous-rumped Foliage-gleaner
Neophilydor erythrocercum
A medium-sized bird, brownish above and pale buff below, with a bright rufous rump and tail and a distinctive buffy line behind the eye. Found in tall rainforest, where it occurs mainly in the midstory and canopy, but occasionally in the understory. Will follow mixed species flocks at all levels. Feeds on insects and forages actively, often investigating dead leaf clusters and other accumulations of detritus. Song is a short, weak series of squeaking notes that fades away; call is a hard doubled note. Most similar to Rufous-tailed Foliage-gleaner but somewhat larger and more likely to occur at lower levels in the forest; both tail and rump are rufous in Rufous-rumped.
Crag Chilia
Ochetorhynchus melanurus
Endemic to rocky hillsides and valleys in central Chile; usually found in foothills with low cliffs or crags where it nests in crevices. Runs well on the ground and clambers in bushes. Moves easily across rock faces with its mostly black tail held slightly cocked or fanned and held low to show its bright rusty tail base. Also note the bright white bib, slender straight bill, and rusty wing patch.
Cherrie's Antwren
Myrmotherula cherriei
Heavily streaked antwren. Males are black and white, while females are buff with black streaks. Found in seasonally flooded forests with short trees, wooded savannas on white sands, and shrubby areas near water. Typically forages in the understory and often accompanies mixed-species flocks. The song is a rising trill. Difficult to tell apart from other black-and-white streaked antwrens, but look for the black (not gray) lower bill and thicker streaks, in addition to differences in the song.
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