Bull-headed Shrike

Overview

The bull-headed shrike (Lanius bucephalus) is a passerine bird of eastern Asia belonging to the shrike family. It is a small species that is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Length: 19–20 cm.
• Plumage: Males feature a brown crown, white eyebrow, and black mask; the back is grey-brown, wings are dark with a white patch, flanks are rufous, and underparts are whitish with fine barring. Females are duller and browner with a brown mask and no white wing-patch.
• Vocalisation: Harsh grating and chattering calls, capable of mimicking other birds.

Habitat

It breeds in north-east China, Korea, Japan, and far-eastern Russia, with northern populations migrating south for winter. Open habitats such as farmland and woodland edges are preferred, though it also visits urban parks and gardens. An isolated race, sicarius, is found in the mountains of Gansu Province in west-central China.

Diet

It sits on a prominent perch to wait for prey, feeding mainly on insects such as beetles and crickets, as well as lizards and crustaceans. Like some other shrikes, it impales prey on thorns to rip them into bite-sized pieces, which may also serve to cache food or mark territory boundaries.

Did you know?

The bull-headed shrike is known to impale prey on sharp points, such as thorns, not only to tear food into smaller pieces but potentially to cache food or mark territory boundaries.