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Isabelline Shrike

Conservation status

Least Concern

Population Trend

Stable

Alternate Names

Daurian Shrike, Rufous-tailed Shrike

Native Habitat

Open country, Semi-desert

Diet

Insects, Rodents, Lizards

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Isabelline Shrike

Lanius isabellinus

This migratory medium-sized passerine eats large insects, small birds, rodents and lizards. Like other shrikes it hunts from prominent perches, and impales corpses on thorns or barbed wire as a larder. It breeds in open cultivated country, preferably with thorn bushes.

The plumage is isabelline, the sandy colour which gives rise to its name. It has a red tail. Young birds can be distinguished from young red-backed shrikes by the much sparser vermiculations on the underparts.

Regional Names
  • Gujarati:
    રેતિયો લટોરો, લાલ પૂંછ લટોરો
  • Malayalam:
    ചുവപ്പു വാലൻ ഷ്രൈക്
  • Marathi:
    लाल शेपटीचा खाटीक
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Taxanomy

PASSERIFORMES
LANIIDAE
Lanius isabellinus