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 Lanius

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


Shrike, Isabelline  Lanius isabellinus  Found: Asia
Photographed by:  1) Dave Curtis - Horsey, England  2) MPF - Northumberland, UK
Juvenile


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


Shrike, Northern aka Great Grey Shrike aka Northern Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor  Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Marek Szczepanek - Poland  3)  Trebol-a - Spain


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







Cuckooshrikes often have gray colors simillar to many shrikes and their shape and flight pattern is similar to cuckoos. But they are not closely related to Cuckoos or Shrikes. Cuckooshrikes are found in warm climates of Africa, Asia, and Australasia.


Genus Coracina

Cuckooshrike, Large  Coracina macei  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2)  Shanthanu Bhardwaj - Dhrangadhra, Gujarat, India




Genus Pericrocotus

Minivet, Short-billed  Pericrocotus brevirostris  Found: Asia 
Photographed by Dick Daniels - Nepal