Long-tailed Fiscal

Overview

The long-tailed fiscal is a species of bird in the shrike family Laniidae. It is found in southern and eastern East Africa and is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Adults measure 26 to 30 cm in length and are large and robust with very long, graduated tails.
• Possesses a strong, heavy bill and less slim feet than the common fiscal.
• Characteristically waggles its long tail from side to side while perching in open areas.

Habitat

Occupies open dry habitats such as dry, treeless savanna, open woodland, and cultivated patches. The range includes southern Somalia, southern and south-eastern Kenya, and northern and eastern Tanzania south to Dar es Salaam.

Diet

Feeds on insects, particularly beetles and grasshoppers, as well as small vertebrates like lizards, snakes, and bird chicks. Hunts by perching about two metres off the ground, where it watches for and then dives onto prey taken from the ground or foliage.

Did you know?

The species has a mutualistic relationship with red-billed buffalo weavers in Tsavo, Kenya, where it snatches insects flushed by the weavers while providing alarm calls through its vigilance.