Bay-backed shrike

Bay-backed Shrike
	L. vittatus at Ananthagiri Hills, in Rangareddy district of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Laniidae
Genus:	Lanius
Species:	L. vittatus
Binomial name
	Lanius vittatus; Valenciennes, 1826

The Bay-backed Shrike, Lanius vittatus, is a member of the bird family Laniidae, the shrikes, resident in South Asia.

Description

It is smallish shrike at 17 cm, maroon-brown above with a pale rump and long black tail with white edges. The underparts are white, but with buff flanks.^[2] The crown and nape are grey, with a typical shrike black bandit mask through the eye. There is a small white wing patch, and the bill and legs are dark grey.^[2]

Sexes are similar, but young birds are washed-out versions of the adults.^[2]

Habits and habitat

Bay-backed Shrike has a characteristic upright "shrike" attitude perched on a bush, from which it sallies after lizards, large insects, small birds and rodents.^[2]

Prey may be impaled upon a sharp point, such as a thorn. Thus secured they can be ripped with the strong hooked bill, but its feet are not suited for tearing.^[2]

It is a widespread resident breeder in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, and has recently been recorded from Sri Lanka. It nests in bushes in scrubby areas and cultivation, laying 3-5 eggs.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Compilers: Stuart Butchart, Jonathan Ekstrom (2008). "Bay-backed Shrike - BirdLife Species Factsheet". Evaluators: Jeremy Bird, Stuart Butchart BirdLife International . Retrieved June 2, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp. Birds of India. ISBN 0-691-04910-6.