4. SHRIKES : THE MASKED BIRDS

 These birds will catch your attention because of the black eye patches they have which look like a robbers mask! I find them quite camera friendly; they will boldly sit while you are clicking away to your heart’s content.

Long-tailed or Rufous-Backed Shrike

Lanius schach

Size 25 cm M/F alike

Characteristics : The Long-Tailed shrike is one of the commonest of the shrikes, here in Pune,  and seen quite often, as soon you are outside the main city areas. The picture above was taken on our morning walks near the airport, where a small swamp had developed because of some drain water collecting (sadly the place is now under construction and out of bounds for us and also a whole variety of birds that we used to see there). It has a grey head, rufous rump, rufous lower back (hence the name) and underparts. The black band across the eyes is of-course typical of the species. These are predators; their hooked beaks are a testimony to that. In fact they are ruthless hunters and will hunt any small animals, including birds, decapitating them and impaling the skulls on acacia thorns, which has earned them the nickname of 'The Executioner' in the local language!. Our little serial-killer has another talent, it can mimic a whole range of voices, not just bird calls! We thought just pet parakeets could do it! 

 

Distribution : it is a widespread resident bird found all across the sub-continent and Myanmar upto 3000 m into the Himalayas.

Food : small animals like mice and lizards, and large insects.

Breeding: it nests in small trees. Making a cup shaped nest of twigs, grass etc it lays 3-6 spotted greenish eggs. Both parents participate in chick rearing.

 

Grey Shrike

Lanius meridionalis

Size 25 cm M/F alike

The above picture of the bird sitting on top of a Champa bush was taken in Aurangabad, in the premises of the Ajanta Caves – it made quite a picturesque sight. It has a silver-grey colour with black wing quills and a white patch which is called ‘mirror’ and a thick and curved hawk-like beak. It has similar characteristics, eating and breeding habits to the rufous-backed shrikes. It prefers more arid areas than the rufous-backed.
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