Grey-backed Fiscal
Lanius excubitoroides
The Grey-backed Fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides) is a uncommon shrik found in 11 countries, weighing about 54 g. The grey-backed fiscal is a species of bird in the family Laniidae.
About the Grey-backed Fiscal
The grey-backed fiscal is a species of bird in the family Laniidae. It is found in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This is a large shrike with a length of about 25 cm (10 in). The head of the male has a grey crown, a white supercilium and a large black mask. The upper parts are medium grey, the rump is white, the wings are blackish, with a white patch which is conspicuous in flight, and the long tail has a white base and a black tip. The underparts and base of the underside of the tail are white. The female is similar but has patches of chestnut on the flanks that are visible during display and when the bird is preening. The juvenile is brownish with brown wings and tail and is heavily barred with grey.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Grey-backed Fiscal can be seen all year round, with peak activity in July. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Grey-backed Fiscal?
- This is a large shrike with a length of about 25 cm (10 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Grey-backed Fiscal?
- The Grey-backed Fiscal is a small sized bird weighing about 54 g.
- Where can you see a Grey-backed Fiscal?
- The Grey-backed Fiscal occurs in 11 countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia.
- What birds look similar to a Grey-backed Fiscal?
- The Grey-backed Fiscal is most easily confused with the Red-tailed Shrike, the Burmese Shrike and the Long-tailed Fiscal.
- Is the Grey-backed Fiscal endangered?
- The Grey-backed Fiscal is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Grey-backed Fiscal for real
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