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Photo: Antonios Tsaknakis · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source ↗
Red-backed Shrike
Rooiruglaksman · Lanius collurio
A common Palearctic summer migrant, present roughly November to March and gone by the cold winter months. The male is handsome with a grey crown, bold black mask and rich chestnut back; females and young are duller brown. It hunts insects from low exposed perches and, like other shrikes, may impale prey on thorns as a larder.
Log your Red-backed Shrike sighting — free →How to identify it
Summer migrant; male has a grey head, black mask and chestnut back, female is plain brown with scaly underparts.
Listen for its call
Mostly quiet — a harsh grating "chak-chak" when alarmed.
Where to see it in Kruger
An abundant summer visitor to open bushveld and thornveld, perching low on bushes and fences; absent in winter.
Did you know
Like a tiny butcher, it stores spare food by spiking insects onto thorns to eat later.
Often confused with
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