Brown Shrike
The Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) is a bird in the shrike family that is found mainly in Asia. It is closely related to the Red-backed Shrike (L. collurio) and Isabelline Shrike (L. isabellinus). Like most other shrikes, it has a distinctive black "bandit-mask" through the eye. and is found mainly in open scrub habitats, where it perches on the tops of thorny bushes in search of prey. Several populations of this widespread species form distinctive subspecies which breed in temperate Asia and migrate to their winter quarters in tropical Asia. They are sometimes found as vagrants in Europe and North America.
Description
This shrike is mainly brown on the upper parts and the tail is rounded. The black mask can be paler in winter and has a white brow over it. The underside is creamy with rufous flanks and belly. The wings are brown and lack any white "mirror" patches. Females have fine scalloping on the underside and the mask is dark brown and not as well marked as in the male. Subspecies lucionensis has a grey crown shading into the brown upperparts and the rump appears more rufous than the rest of the upperback. The tail is more brownish and not as reddish as in the Red-backed Shrike. Younger birds of lucionensis have brown crown and lacks the grey on the head. Supspecies superciliosus has a broad white supercilium and richer reddish crown. The tail is redder and tipped in white.
A number of confusing forms are known from central Asia where the populations of cristatus, isabellinus and collurio overlap. The taxonomy has been in a state of flux and some forms such as phoenicuroides formerly considered as subspecies of L. cristatus have been moved to the species L. isabellinus
Distribution
The nominate form breeds in northern Asia from Mongolia to Siberia and winters in South Asia, Myanmar and the Malay Peninsula. The race confusus described from the same region is not well marked but is said to have a wider white brow and paler upperparts and is sometimes included within the nominate population. Subspecies superciliosus (sometimes called the Japanese Shrike) breeds on the islands of Sakhalin, Kuril and Japan and winters in Hainan, Sumatra, Java, and the Sundas. Subspecies lucionensis, sometimes known as the Philippine Shrike, breeds in Korea and eastern China wintering mainly in Taiwan, Philippines but also on the Andaman Islands and in peninsular India. Suggestions that the species may breed in the Cachar Hills of Assam by E. C. Stuart Baker based on memory have been questioned.
This species is rare in Europe and vagrants have been recorded in the USA and Canada.
Behaviour and ecology
The Brown Shrike is a migratory species and ringing studies show that they have a high fidelity to their wintering sites, returning to the same locations each winter. They begin establishing wintering territories shortly on arrival and their loud chattering or rattling calls are distinctive. Birds that arrive early and establish territories appear to have an advantage over those that arrive later in the winter areas. The timing of their migration is very regular with their arrival in winter to India in August to September and departure in April. During their winter period, they go through a premigratory moult.Their song in the winter quarters is faint and somewhat resembles the call of the Rosy Starling and often includes mimicry of other birds. The beak remains closed when singing and only throat pulsations are visible although the bird moves its tail up and down while singing.
The breeding season is late May or June and the breeding habitat includes the taiga, forest to semi-desert where they build a nest in a tree or bush, laying 2-6 eggs.
They feed on mainly on insects, especially lepidoptera. Like other shrikes, they impale prey on thorns. Small birds and lizards are also sometimes preyed on. A white-eye (Zosterops) has been recorded in its larder.They typically look out for prey from a perch and fly down towards the ground to capture them.
References
^ BirdLife International (2008). Lanius cristatus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 Oct 2009.
^ a b c Rasmussen, PC & JC Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Volume 2. Smithsonian Institution & Lynx Edicions. pp. 349–350.
^ a b c Ali, S & SD Ripley. Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. Volume 5 (2 ed.). New Delhi: Oxford University Press. pp. 98–100.
^ McGregor, RC (1909). A manual of Philippine birds. Part 1. Bureau of Printing, Manila. pp. 596–599.
^ Mauersberger, G & L A Portenko (1971). "Lanius collurio L., Lanius isabellinus Hemprich u. Ehrenberg und Lanius cristatus L.". Atlas der Verbreitung palaearktischer Vögel. Akademie-verlag, Berlin.
^ Balachandran S & Rajan Sehgal (2008). "Occurrence of Lanius cristatus lucionensis in the Western Ghats, Kerala". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 105 (2): 220–221.
^ Balachandran,S; Rajan,S Alagar (1994). "Philippine Shrike Lanius cristatus lucionensis, a regular winter visitor to South India". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 91 (1): 143–144.
^ Mohapatra,KK; Santharam,V (1992). "Occurrence of the Philippine Shrike Lanius cristatus lucionensis Linn. in coastal Andhra Pradesh". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 89 (2): 255–256.
^ Ticehurst, Claud B (1936). "The Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus Linn.) in Burma and Assam". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 38 (4): 824–825.
^ King, B. D. Finch, R. Stallcup, and W. Russell (1978). "First North American sighting of Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) and Dusky Warbler (Phylloscopus fuscatus), and second of Red-throated Flycatcher (Ficedula parva)". American Birds 32: 158–160.
^ Foxall, Roger & Ian McLaren (1998). "A Brown Shrike in Halifax, Nova Scotia:
First for Canada". Birders Journal 7 (1): 32–36.
^ a b Lord Medway (1970). "A ringing study of the migratory brown shrike in West Malaysia". Ibis 112 (2): 184–198. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1970.tb00092.x.
^ Rimmer, CC & CH Darmstadt (1996). "Non-breeding site fidelity in Northern Shrikes". J. Field Ornithol. 67 (3): 360–366.
^ Severinghaus, Lucia Liu (1996). "Territory strategy of the migratory Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus". Ibis 138 (3): 460–465. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1996.tb08065.x.
^ Betts,FN (1929). "Distribution of the Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus cristatus". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 33 (3): 714.
^ Law,SC (1928). "On the migratory habit of Lanius cristatus cristatus Linn. as observed in the city of Calcutta". Ibis 70 (3): 478–480. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1928.tb08732.x.
^ Praveen, J (1995). "The song of the Brown Shrike". Newsletter for Birdwatchers 35 (1): 18.
^ Dresser, HE (1902). A manual of palearctic birds. Part 1. Self published, London. pp. 240–242.
^ Yosef, Reuven (2004). "Perch-site use and inter- and intraspecific aggression of migratory Brown Shrikes (Lanius cristatus) in Southern Taiwan". Biol. Lett. 41 (2): 113–118.
^ Ganguli, U (1962). "The Redtailed Skink as a food for birds". Newsletter for Birdwatchers 2 (5): 4–5.
^ Severinghaus, L. L. & C. T. Liang (1995). "Food and foraging of the Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) in Taiwan". In Yosef, R. & F. E. Lohrer. Shrikes (Laniidae) of the world: biology and conservation. (Proc. of the First Int. Shrike Symposium – Proc. of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, No. 6). Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, Florida, USA. pp. 194–199.
Description
This shrike is mainly brown on the upper parts and the tail is rounded. The black mask can be paler in winter and has a white brow over it. The underside is creamy with rufous flanks and belly. The wings are brown and lack any white "mirror" patches. Females have fine scalloping on the underside and the mask is dark brown and not as well marked as in the male. Subspecies lucionensis has a grey crown shading into the brown upperparts and the rump appears more rufous than the rest of the upperback. The tail is more brownish and not as reddish as in the Red-backed Shrike. Younger birds of lucionensis have brown crown and lacks the grey on the head. Supspecies superciliosus has a broad white supercilium and richer reddish crown. The tail is redder and tipped in white.
A number of confusing forms are known from central Asia where the populations of cristatus, isabellinus and collurio overlap. The taxonomy has been in a state of flux and some forms such as phoenicuroides formerly considered as subspecies of L. cristatus have been moved to the species L. isabellinus
Distribution
The nominate form breeds in northern Asia from Mongolia to Siberia and winters in South Asia, Myanmar and the Malay Peninsula. The race confusus described from the same region is not well marked but is said to have a wider white brow and paler upperparts and is sometimes included within the nominate population. Subspecies superciliosus (sometimes called the Japanese Shrike) breeds on the islands of Sakhalin, Kuril and Japan and winters in Hainan, Sumatra, Java, and the Sundas. Subspecies lucionensis, sometimes known as the Philippine Shrike, breeds in Korea and eastern China wintering mainly in Taiwan, Philippines but also on the Andaman Islands and in peninsular India. Suggestions that the species may breed in the Cachar Hills of Assam by E. C. Stuart Baker based on memory have been questioned.
This species is rare in Europe and vagrants have been recorded in the USA and Canada.
Behaviour and ecology
The Brown Shrike is a migratory species and ringing studies show that they have a high fidelity to their wintering sites, returning to the same locations each winter. They begin establishing wintering territories shortly on arrival and their loud chattering or rattling calls are distinctive. Birds that arrive early and establish territories appear to have an advantage over those that arrive later in the winter areas. The timing of their migration is very regular with their arrival in winter to India in August to September and departure in April. During their winter period, they go through a premigratory moult.Their song in the winter quarters is faint and somewhat resembles the call of the Rosy Starling and often includes mimicry of other birds. The beak remains closed when singing and only throat pulsations are visible although the bird moves its tail up and down while singing.
The breeding season is late May or June and the breeding habitat includes the taiga, forest to semi-desert where they build a nest in a tree or bush, laying 2-6 eggs.
They feed on mainly on insects, especially lepidoptera. Like other shrikes, they impale prey on thorns. Small birds and lizards are also sometimes preyed on. A white-eye (Zosterops) has been recorded in its larder.They typically look out for prey from a perch and fly down towards the ground to capture them.
References
^ BirdLife International (2008). Lanius cristatus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 Oct 2009.
^ a b c Rasmussen, PC & JC Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Volume 2. Smithsonian Institution & Lynx Edicions. pp. 349–350.
^ a b c Ali, S & SD Ripley. Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. Volume 5 (2 ed.). New Delhi: Oxford University Press. pp. 98–100.
^ McGregor, RC (1909). A manual of Philippine birds. Part 1. Bureau of Printing, Manila. pp. 596–599.
^ Mauersberger, G & L A Portenko (1971). "Lanius collurio L., Lanius isabellinus Hemprich u. Ehrenberg und Lanius cristatus L.". Atlas der Verbreitung palaearktischer Vögel. Akademie-verlag, Berlin.
^ Balachandran S & Rajan Sehgal (2008). "Occurrence of Lanius cristatus lucionensis in the Western Ghats, Kerala". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 105 (2): 220–221.
^ Balachandran,S; Rajan,S Alagar (1994). "Philippine Shrike Lanius cristatus lucionensis, a regular winter visitor to South India". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 91 (1): 143–144.
^ Mohapatra,KK; Santharam,V (1992). "Occurrence of the Philippine Shrike Lanius cristatus lucionensis Linn. in coastal Andhra Pradesh". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 89 (2): 255–256.
^ Ticehurst, Claud B (1936). "The Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus Linn.) in Burma and Assam". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 38 (4): 824–825.
^ King, B. D. Finch, R. Stallcup, and W. Russell (1978). "First North American sighting of Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) and Dusky Warbler (Phylloscopus fuscatus), and second of Red-throated Flycatcher (Ficedula parva)". American Birds 32: 158–160.
^ Foxall, Roger & Ian McLaren (1998). "A Brown Shrike in Halifax, Nova Scotia:
First for Canada". Birders Journal 7 (1): 32–36.
^ a b Lord Medway (1970). "A ringing study of the migratory brown shrike in West Malaysia". Ibis 112 (2): 184–198. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1970.tb00092.x.
^ Rimmer, CC & CH Darmstadt (1996). "Non-breeding site fidelity in Northern Shrikes". J. Field Ornithol. 67 (3): 360–366.
^ Severinghaus, Lucia Liu (1996). "Territory strategy of the migratory Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus". Ibis 138 (3): 460–465. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1996.tb08065.x.
^ Betts,FN (1929). "Distribution of the Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus cristatus". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 33 (3): 714.
^ Law,SC (1928). "On the migratory habit of Lanius cristatus cristatus Linn. as observed in the city of Calcutta". Ibis 70 (3): 478–480. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1928.tb08732.x.
^ Praveen, J (1995). "The song of the Brown Shrike". Newsletter for Birdwatchers 35 (1): 18.
^ Dresser, HE (1902). A manual of palearctic birds. Part 1. Self published, London. pp. 240–242.
^ Yosef, Reuven (2004). "Perch-site use and inter- and intraspecific aggression of migratory Brown Shrikes (Lanius cristatus) in Southern Taiwan". Biol. Lett. 41 (2): 113–118.
^ Ganguli, U (1962). "The Redtailed Skink as a food for birds". Newsletter for Birdwatchers 2 (5): 4–5.
^ Severinghaus, L. L. & C. T. Liang (1995). "Food and foraging of the Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) in Taiwan". In Yosef, R. & F. E. Lohrer. Shrikes (Laniidae) of the world: biology and conservation. (Proc. of the First Int. Shrike Symposium – Proc. of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, No. 6). Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, Florida, USA. pp. 194–199.
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