Woodchat Shrike

ID tip

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Woodchat Shrike

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 7 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is April, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Woodchat Shrike

The map shades 80 countries with regular records, and 5 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in Netherlands, Finland, Luxembourg, Somalia, Andorra.

About the Woodchat Shrike

The woodchat shrike is a member of the shrike family Laniidae. It can be identified by its red-brown crown and nape. It is mainly insectivorous and favours open wooded areas with scattered trees such as orchards, particularly when there is bare or sandy ground. The woodchat shrike breeds in southern Europe, the Middle East and northwest Africa, and winters in tropical Africa.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Iberian Grey ShrikeLanius meridionalisThe Iberian grey shrike is similar in size to the great grey shrikes found in northern Europe but is may have a slightly larger head, stronger bill and thinner tail. Northern ShrikeLanius borealisThe loggerhead shrike can be distinguished from the northern shrike by its smaller size, darker grey plumage and larger black face mask that covers the eye completely. Bay-backed ShrikeLanius vittatusIt is smallish shrike at 17 cm, maroon-brown above with a pale rump and long black tail with white edges.

Side by side: Northern Shrike vs Woodchat Shrike · Iberian Grey Shrike vs Woodchat Shrike