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Masked Shrike

Lanius nubicus · Migratory bird in the family Laniidae
Family
Order
Passeriformes
Codes
masshr1, MASH

About the Masked Shrike

The masked shrike is a species of bird in the shrike family, Laniidae. It breeds in southeastern Europe and at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, with a separate population in eastern Iraq and western Iran. It is migratory, wintering mainly in northeast Africa. Although it is a short-range migrant, vagrants have occurred widely elsewhere, including northern and western Europe. It is the smallest member of its genus, long-tailed and with a hooked bill. The male has mainly black upperparts, with white on its crown, forehead and supercilium and large white patches on the shoulders and wings. The throat, neck sides and underparts are white, with orange flanks and breast. The female is a duller version of the male, with brownish black upperparts and a grey or buff tone to the shoulders and underparts. The juvenile has grey-brown upperparts with a paler forehead and barring from the head to rump, barred off-white underparts and brown wings аpart from the white primary patches. The species' calls are short and grating, but the song has melodic warbler-like components.

Source: Wikipedia

Taxonomy & Classification

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyShrikes (Laniidae)
SpeciesLanius nubicus
Species Codesmasshr1, MASH

Frequently Asked Questions

What family does the Masked Shrike belong to?

The Masked Shrike (Lanius nubicus) belongs to the Shrikes family (Laniidae), in the order Passeriformes.

How can I identify the Masked Shrike?

The masked shrike is a species of bird in the shrike family, Laniidae. It breeds in southeastern Europe and at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, with a separate population in eastern Iraq and western Iran. It is migratory, wintering mainly in northeast Africa. Although it is a short-range migra...

Where can I report a Masked Shrike sighting?

You can log sightings of Masked Shrike on eBird (ebird.org) using species code masshr1, or on iNaturalist.