NSSB

Grey-backed Shrike

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Grey-backed shrike, Photo: Kawsar Mostafa

ধুসর-পিঠ কসাই পাখি

Lanius tephronotus, (Vigors, 1831)

রাজ্য / Kingdom: Animalia
বর্গ / Order: Passeriformes
পরিবার / Family: Laniidae
গন / Genus: Lanius
প্রজাতি / Species: L. tephronotus

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Description

Grey-backed shrike is a bird species of family Laniidae. It is a small shrike with a long tail. Its size is like the size of starling. Its head and back is grey and for the grey on its back, it has got its name. The tip of the wing is black. It has white throat and cheek and rufous belly. It has a long blackish-rufous tail. Its beak is metallic blue.

Length: About 21-25 cm.

Weight: 39-45 gm.

Call: Little is known about it. Territorial call described as harsh “zzert-zzert…”and harsh grating “shrek”.

Habitat: It breeds at high elevations in forest clearings, plateau plains and mountain meadows.

Behavior: It is diurnal and occurs solitary. Usually perches in low height so that prey can be watched. They are partial migrants. Some populations moving south in winter. They breed at the highest altitude.

Food habits: Feeds on mostly insects, small vertebrates and also small birds. They are called shrike because they hang their prey on a pointed branch and then eat it. This scene looks like a butcher cutting flesh from a hanging piece of leg of cow or something else.

Reproduction: Usually it doesn’t breed in Bangladesh. Summer is the breeding season specially from late May to early July. Builds their nest in bush. Female lays 3-5 eggs and they are incubated only by the female. The chicks hatch after 15-18 days and both the parents take care of them.

Distribution: It is found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Yunnan. It is a common winter visitor in Bangladesh.

Reference:

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