Shrikes have a hooked beak that enables them to catch small animals and insects. They often impale their meals on thorns which explains the derivation of their name from the Latin word for butcher. They sit upright on the tops of shrubs and other conspicuous perches to spot their prey and also to advertise their presence to competitors. Their coloring is drab. Most shrikes are located in Africa, Europe, and Asia. They are closely related to the bush-shrikes and helmet-shrikes, but not to the cuckoo-shrikes. The live in relatively open spaces.


Genus Corvinella

Shrike, Magpie aka Long-tailed Shrike Corvinella melanoleuca   Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Kruger National Park, Sourh Africa   2) Sandy Cole - Kruger 
   3, 6) Dick - Kruger National Park  4, 5) Dick - Tanzania    



Shrike, Yellow-billed  Corvinella corvina  Found: Africa
Photographed by: Tom Haslam - Senegal



Genus Eurocephalus

Shrike, Northern White-crowned Eurocephalus rueppelli   Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1, 2) Carol Foil - Buffalo Spring Reserve, Kenya  3) Dick Daniels - San Diego Zoo  4) Dick - Tanzania


Shrike, Southern White-crowned    Eurocephalus anguitimens   Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1) Frank Vassen  2) Alistair Rae - Namibia



Genus Lanius

Fiscal, Common aka Fiscal Shrike Lanius collaris   Found: Africa
Photographed by:   1) Lip Kee Yap   2) Derek Keats   3) Dick Daniels   4) Dick Daniels
4) Juvenile


Fiscal, Grey-backed  Lanius excubitoroides  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Darren Bellerby - Sawela Lodge, Lake Naivasha, Kenya  2) Carol Foil - Rift Valley, Kenya


Shrike, Brown Lanius cristatus   Found: Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Charlie Westerinen - Thailand 


Shrike, Lesser Grey Lanius minor Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by Dick Daniels - Tanzania


Shrike, Red-backed Lanius collurio  Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by:  1, 8) Arno Meintjes  2, 6) Frank Vassen - Poland  3)  Hajotthu 
    4, 5) Dick Daniels - Tanzania  7) Artur Mikolajewski - Poland
1) Juvenile  2, 3, 4, 5) Female  6, 7, 8) Male



Shrike, Southern Grey  Found: Europe, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Anders Olsson - Oman  2) Juan  Emilio


Shrike, Woodchat  Lanius senator  Found: Europe, Africa
Photographed by:   Causinho - Spain






Bushshrikes are related to the true shrikes of family Laniidae and once were assigned to the Shrike family Laniidae, They have similar habits and habitats, but can be more The Bushshrikes are restricted to Africa.


Genus Dryoscopus
Found: Africa

Puffback, Black-backed  Dryoscopus cubla  Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1, 2) DIck Daniels - South Africa  3, 4) Arno Meintjes
4) Juvenile



Genus Laniarius
Found: Africa

Boubou, Slate-coloured Laniarius funebris   Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Haplochromis  2, 3) Dick Daniels - Tanzania


Boubou, Southern   Laniarius ferrugineus   Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1) Franca  - South Africa  2) Axel Bührmann


Boubou, Tropical Laniarius aethiopicus Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 3) Dick Daniels - Tanzania   2) Dick - Tanzania


Gonolek, Crimson-breasted  formerly known as Crimson-breasted Shrike   Laniarius atrococcineus  Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1, 2) Derek Keats  3) Hans Hillewaert - Etosha National Park, Namibia



Genus Malaconotus
Found: Africa

Bushshrike, Grey-headed  Malaconotus blanchoti  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Patty McGann - Kruger National Park, South Africa



Genus Rhodophoneus - 1 species

Bushshrike, Rosy-patched  Rhodophoneus cruentus  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Carol Foil -  Samburu District, Kenya 2) Steve Garvie



Genus Tchagra

Tchagra, Brown-crowned  Tchagra australis  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3)  Carol Foil - Rift Valley, Kenya


Tchagra, Black-crowned  Tchagra senegala  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Carol Foil - Rift Valley, Kenya  2) Darren Bellerby - Kruger National Park, South Africa



Genus Telophorus
Found: Africa

Bokmakierie  Telophorus zeylonus   Found: Africa 
Photographed by:  1) Rudolph Botha  2) Derek Keats  3) Dick Daniels - South Africa





Helmetshrikes are related to the true shrikes of family Laniidae. They have similar habits and habitats. Their heads are distinctive, hence the name helmetshrike.  They are located in Africa and south Asia.


Genus Prionops

Helmetshrike, White  Prionops plumatus  Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1) Darren Bellerby - Kruger National Park, South Africa  2, 3) Charlie Westerinen - Victoria Falls in Zimbabwae

All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details.    Dick Daniels, webmaster.