MyKrugerHoliday
Photo: New Jersey Birds · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source ↗
Magpie Shrike
Langstertlaksman · Urolestes melanoleucus
A striking black bird with a very long, trailing tail and white patches on the wings and shoulders. It perches boldly on bushes and fences, watching for insects, small reptiles, and other prey on the ground before pouncing. Magpie shrikes live in noisy family groups and call to one another with liquid, whistling notes as they move through the bush.
Log your Magpie Shrike sighting — free →How to identify it
A glossy black bird with white wing flashes and an extremely long, narrow tail.
Listen for its call
Pretty fluty "pleeoo" whistles, often two birds answering each other.
Where to see it in Kruger
Common in open woodland and savanna throughout the park, often perched conspicuously in small groups.
Did you know
Like other shrikes, it sometimes wedges its prey on a thorn to store it, making a little larder in the bushes.
See it? Log it — free.
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