Giant Shrike
Lanius giganteus
A large and long-tailed shrike with dark gray upperparts, white underparts, a black mask, and white in the wing. The white patches in the black wings and tail are especially conspicuous in flight. Found at high elevations, in open habitats with stunted shrubs such as rhododendron. Descends to lower elevations during the winter. Often uses tall and exposed perches. Vocalizations include harsh rasping notes and more musical, liquid ones. Similar to Chinese Gray Shrike, but larger, with a darker gray back and no white eyebrow.
Identification
A large and long-tailed shrike with dark gray upperparts, white underparts, a black mask, and white in the wing. The white patches in the black wings and tail are especially conspicuous in flight. Found at high elevations, in open habitats with stunted shrubs such as rhododendron. Descends to lower elevations during the winter. Often uses tall and exposed perches. Vocalizations include harsh rasping notes and more musical, liquid ones. Similar to Chinese Gray Shrike, but larger, with a darker gray back and no white eyebrow.
Taxonomy
Genus: Lanius; Family: Laniidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Lanius giganteus
- Authority
- Przevalski, 1887
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Laniidae
- Genus
- Lanius
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Streak-headed Honeyeater
Pycnopygius stictocephalus
A medium-sized honeyeater of lowland and foothill forest edge and gardens. Upperparts dark brown and lower parts gray-brown. Dark head has thin white streaking on the crown and a distinctive white stripe on the face. Thought to mimic the appearance of the New Guinea Friarbird, but Streak-headed Honeyeater is much smaller. Also similar to the juvenile Brown Oriole, but Streak-headed Honeyeater lacks the streaking on the throated and chest. Varied vocalizations including series of repeated notes or strong, whistled, short phrases.
Hainan Peacock-Pheasant
Polyplectron katsumatae
Rare and often excruciatingly difficult to find, this is the only large gray game bird on Hainan. Usually detected by the loud, scratching noises made by flipping and scuffling leaves as it forages. Very similar to the closely related Gray Peacock-Pheasant, with which it shares no range overlap. Gray overall with dark blue-green dots on the wings and tail. Male is longer-tailed, with a short bushy crest and a small patch of red skin around the eye.
Steel-blue Whydah
Vidua hypocherina
A nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of Black-cheeked and Black-faced Waxbills. As with other whydahs, breeding males are distinctive, whereas non-breeding males and females are drab and inconspicuous. Breeding males are glossy blue-black with elongated central tail feathers. Non-breeding males and females have a brownish back, a heavily striped face, and a whitish bill and legs. Generally uncommon in rather dry savanna and woodland. Non-breeding male and female can be cautiously separated from other whydahs and indigobirds by their pale bill and legs. Not very vocal, but does imitate the waxbills that it parasitizes.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.