Emin's Shrike
Lanius gubernator
The Emin's Shrike (Lanius gubernator) is a legendary shrik found in 7 countries, weighing about 24 g. Emin's shrike is a species of passerine bird in the family Laniidae, the shrikes.
About the Emin's Shrike
Emin's shrike is a species of passerine bird in the family Laniidae, the shrikes. This species has a scattered distribution across Africa from the Ivory Coast east to South Sudan and Uganda.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Emin's shrike is similar in plumage to the red-backed shrike, but it is smaller and darker. It has a black mask from the base of the bill through the eye to the ear coverts, which separates the grey crown and nape from the white throat. The upperparts are brown without the grey rump shown by the red-backed shrike. The breast, belly and undertail coverts are dark buff rather than the red-backed shrike's pinkish underparts. The black tail has white sides and a white tip, and there is an obvious patch of white on the primaries.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Central African Republic.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, October, November, December, with peak activity in April. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Emin's Shrike?
- Emin's shrike is similar in plumage to the red-backed shrike, but it is smaller and darker. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Emin's Shrike?
- The Emin's Shrike is a small sized bird weighing about 24 g.
- Where can you see an Emin's Shrike?
- The Emin's Shrike occurs in 7 countries, including Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda and Ghana.
- What birds look similar to an Emin's Shrike?
- The Emin's Shrike is most easily confused with the Sao Tome Fiscal, the Giant Grey Shrike and the Mountain Shrike.
- Is the Emin's Shrike endangered?
- The Emin's Shrike is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Emin's Shrike for real
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