Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)

Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) breeds from central Asian to Chinese pacific Coast, southern Asia and New Guinea.

 Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) feeds on wide variety of large insects and small mammals, birds, birds’ eggs, fish, lizards, amphibians, crabs, and any small living animal that can be caught. It may occasionally consume fruits.


The Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) is well distinguished from other Shrikes by the bright, contrast color and the long tail. The adult male has grey crown and nape, grey buffy tinged fore-back, brightly-buff rear-back, rump and uppertail; black forehead, lores and ear coverts. The forming black mask enframes the eyes. Above the eye over the black mask there is faint off-white supercilium. The throat, breast and abdomen are off-white with buffy tinge which is more intensive on the flanks and undertail. The wings are black-brownish. The wing coverts are almost black, primaries are dark-brown with white bases forming the little speculum almost hidden by the wing coverts; the secondaries are dark-brown with buffy edges. The central tail feathers are black-brown, next ones become paler, the outer are pale-brown buffy tinged. All tail feathers except the central pair have pale edges. The adult females are slightly dimmer; the grey on head and nape isn't clear but brownish tinged; the tail and flight feathers are not black but brown. The bill and legs are black-brown, eyes are dark-brown. Sometimes breeding young males (probably second-year) keep the partial juvenile plumage.


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