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Scientific name: Lanius schach Higher classification: Lanius Rank: Species

DESCRIPTION: Long-tailed Shrike has dark grey head and mantle, and chestnut back and rump. Wings are blackish with small white primary patches, conspicuous in flight. Long tail is black and graduated. Outer tail feathers are rufous. Undertail is greyish. Underparts are whitish, with chestnut breast sides and flanks. Head is grey with black mask covering forehead, eyes and ear coverts. Strong, hooked bill is blackish. Eyes are brown. Legs and feet are grey. Both sexes are similar. Juvenile is duller than adult, with streaked body sides. Lanius schach is the largest and lives in China. We can find subspecies living in other places and showing different colours.

Lanius schach Erythronotus lives in central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. It is smaller and duller, and with narrower black band on forehead.

Lanius schach Caniceps lives in southern India and Sri Lanka. It is paler with less rufous above.

Lanius schach Tricolor from Himalayan regions has black head, smaller greyish area on back and deep rufous upperparts.

Lanius schach Longicaudatus lives in Thailand and has very long tail.

In some areas, Lanius schach has a melanistic form named Lanius schach Fuscatus.

HABITAT: Long-tailed Shrike frequents open areas, lightly wooded countries, scrublands and cultivated fields.

BEHAVIOUR: Most of populations are resident, and only northern birds migrate towards more temperate areas after breeding season. Long-tailed Shrike is often seen alone. It feeds mainly on insects taken on the ground, but it can hawk preys while flying. It may sometimes pirate other birds in order to steal them their preys. It often impales some preys on a sharp point like a thorn. Then, it rips the prey with its bill.

Long-tailed Shrike is highly territorial, defending nesting-site vigorously. It can be very aggressive towards birds of its own species. During courtship period, male pursues rivals and is very quarrelsome and noisy. They are monogamous. Breeding season varies, according to the geographical areas.

DIET:

Long-tailed Shrike feeds on wide variety of large insects and small mammals, birds, birds’ eggs, fish, lizards, amphibians, crabs, and any small living animal that can be caught. It may occasionally consume fruits.