The Common Gray Shrike has a reputation as a recluse, as it is a rarity to meet one. To notice this feathered one, you need patience and observation. But since the bird avoids proximity to humans, it can only be seen on the forest edges, the outskirts of marshes, on the tops of shrubs and tall trees. If you hear a song that sounds like a magpie, it might be a gray shrike.
The Red Book was replenished with this rare bird, since the number of the species is very small. She received the 3rd category. To preserve this subspecies, a careful attitude to forest swamps and old forests is required.
Description of the shrike
This species of birds belongs to large birds. Body size - an average of 26 cm. Bird weight - about 70 grams. The coloring of the shrike is light, the back is an ash-gray shade, and the abdomen is white. There is a pattern on the chest. The stepped elongated tail and wings are black. Along the edge of the tail feathers is a white border. Also a light transverse bandpasses over the wings. The head is also decorated with stripes - a black “mask” stretches from the beak through the eye. Since this bird is a predator, it was "rewarded" with a hooked beak. Male and female do not differ in color. You can notice the difference in their sizes, the "boys" are slightly larger.
When a gray shrike sits on a branch, its tail goes down or sticks out. The flight of this bird is undulating.
Habitat
Despite the fact that the number of these birds is small, their habitat is very wide. The gray shrike inhabits the whole of Europe, a significant territory of Russia, and North Africa in small quantities. In addition, the bird settles in some areas of South Asia up to the eastern line of India. Also, this bird, penetrating through Chukotka, stops near the forests of the USA and Canada.
This type of bird prefers to live in open areas. But, despite this, the shrike masters mountainous territories, taiga and tundra. It can be noted that closer to the south this bird is nomadic, and representatives of the northern zones fly over for wintering.
Bird voice
The gray shrike makes sounds that are similar to the songs of magpies. His voice is rough. The song is not melodic, consisting of squeaky low whistling sounds or a buzzing trill. But in his repertoire there may be sounds overheard from other birds. With age, males accumulate a repertoire, and their songs become more artistic and varied.
Also with soundsshrike transmit information. For example, when threatened, they emit a frequent "check-check-check". They also differ in their peculiar singing during the mating season.
Food
The gray shrike is a bold predator, so it feeds on what it catches. The diet may include large insects such as locusts, large beetles, dragonflies and more. But the bird also preys on small vertebrates, since there are very few insects in the northern regions. The shrike willingly catches lizards and small amphibians. In addition, he loves rodents such as voles, shrews, mice, moles and eats small birds (sparrows, warblers, tits).
After the prey is caught, shrikes immediately eat it. The bird does not make reserves, although if there is an abundance of food, it can dry the victim by hanging it on a needle from an acacia, and leaving a vertebrate in the forks of branches. But it is worth noting that not all gray shrikes are prone to such behavior.
Nesting birds
Because the gray shrike is a large bird, its nest is also large. Usually only the female builds such a dwelling. Males rarely participate in this. A suitable branch is selected to build the nest. Often it is a thick offshoot of a bush or tree. Also, the house can be attached to the trunk itself. The nest is low, from 1 to 2.5 meters. It is two-layer. The outer side is woven from thin branches from shrubs and trees, and dry blades of grass are also woven here. A characteristic feature of the shrike's nest are parts of the branches with green leaves.
Intern althe side is made of softer material. So the tray is spread with wool, thin blades of grass and a lot of feathers, although some nests may not have them.
Young growth
Nesting period varies from region to region. This may be April or May, and in the northern parts of the range it is June. The clutch of a shrike consists of 4-6 eggs with a white-green tint and brown spots. The female incubates the offspring, and the father only occasionally replaces the mother.
The gray shrike remains on the clutch for up to 15 days. In these two weeks, the male does not fly far from the family. Both parents feed the hatched offspring. The male and female take care of the young for about 20 days. At this point, the chicks are ready to fly. But it is interesting that sometimes even before the kids learn to fly well, they already fly away from the nest. Until the departure, parents take care of the offspring. The couple can feed their chicks for a long time.
The diet of young animals includes orthopterans and beetles, and in rare cases they are given caterpillars and larvae.
Additional details and interesting facts about gray shrikes
The shrike is a cunning bird with a snarky temper. So, he likes to tease little falcons and hawks. Noticing the enemy, the cunning climbs to the top of the pine tree and begins to sing carelessly. The predator notices it and rushes to attack, but the shrike deftly hides in dense thickets.
This bird manages to chase away any birds that are larger than it. It is curious how the shrike manages to do this. To do this, he deliberately spoils the hunt for all predators, birds and ordinary animals. He warns the victim with sounds that a hunter is sneaking up to her, and so remains the only owner on his territory.
