Long-tailed Shrike
(Lanius schach)
Description:
Medium-sized shrike with long to very long, graduated tail. Adult has grey mantle, rufous scapulars and upper back, narrow black forehead, rufous sides to black tail, and small white patch on primaries. Juvenile has (dark-barred) rufous-brown upperparts; dark greater coverts and tertials fringed rufous.
Distribution:
Common summer visitor to lower valleys in all the districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. Prefers open country, steppe and semi-desert with scrub, light woodland and bushes, mainly in cultivated areas, grassland, gardens and plantations, up to 3000m.
Behavior:
Hunts from prominent perch; takes most of its prey on ground, but also hawks insects in air; hops on ground. Occasionally steals food from other birds. Impales some of its victims. Very opportunistic feeder. Wide variety of insects, with preference mostly for larger species and groups, e.g. grasshoppers, crickets and beetles.
Photo Gallery:
Range & Occurrence:
Distribution Map of Long-tailed Shrike in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )
Seasonal Occurrence of Long-tailed Shrike
Resources:
Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)
*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.
