Description of the bird
In terms of external characteristics, it is difficult to distinguish the shrike from the general mass of birds because, mainly, its body is painted gray. The wings and back have dull brown, reddish plumage. The belly and breast are pale pink, the end of the tail is black.
Birds of this species are usually classified as members of the order Passeriformes, the family of shrikes. By the way, birds from this family are characterized by cold-bloodedness and ruthlessness towards prey.
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The shrike has an expressive black stripe along the eyes; by the way, the eyes themselves are also dark, the iris of the eye merges with the shell. The beak is medium-sized, slightly curved, which, however, is typical of all predators. The beak color is dark gray.
The body weight of the shrike is approximately 28-30 grams, and the length is 16-18 cm. Surprisingly: despite the fact that the shrike does not have a massive body, this bird is a real predator in pursuit of prey.
Character and interesting features
In patience and dexterity, these little ones are not inferior to eagles and peregrine falcons. They hunt in splendid isolation. They skillfully track down prey; thanks to their powers of observation and acute vision, the shrike avoids collisions with enemies. People don't instill fear in them. These birds willingly build nests near apiaries so that they can freely feast on bees.
By nature, shrikes are treacherous and mocking. Their favorite pastime is teasing large birds of prey. Shrikes do not tolerate competitors. Having settled in a certain place, they drive out other predators from there.
In some sources, the shrike is called a shrike, but sometimes you can find a double name. The shrike is considered to be a smaller shrike; it lives in places where there are rivers or lakes, and is less common in steppe regions. There is a version that the name comes from the word “cheat” to deceive.
Behavior and diet
The Shrike will not let itself be offended - this bird always puts its interests above others, and its comfort first.
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Since we mentioned that the shrike is a bird of prey, it is worth adding that in its field of vision are not only small bugs, dragonflies or insects, but also animals such as mice, lizards and even small birds. A feature that is inherent in every predator is the twirling of its tail and head. This is what shrikes do when they hunt. The fact is that this is not a habit, but a reflex that promotes adaptation to an attack.
Due to its effectiveness in hunting mice, the shrike is considered a good assistant for gardeners.
The shrike's dominant hunting method was to sit motionless on a branch. When the prey approaches, the bird grabs it with its beak. The process of eating prey is not for the faint of heart - the shrike impales the prey on thorns from branches and begins the meal. Due to its cold-bloodedness, this bird is usually called an ardent predator.
Zhulan can be easily compared with Gobsek from Balzac’s work - since birds catch large prey and simply cannot eat everything at once, they make warehouses that are constantly replenished with something new, out of greed.
Nutrition
Shrikes usually hunt alone. They do not like to herd prey with the whole flock. Most often they eat all kinds of insects. These are beetles, bumblebees, ground beetles, butterflies, caterpillars, and grasshoppers. They catch flying insects and eat them while flying.
The hunting process captivates this bird so much that it continues to kill, even if it is already full. He also pursues small vertebrates, which he is able to defeat, and catches mice, birds, lizards and frogs. You can't catch these on the fly.
Then he uses a different method of absorbing food. Impales unfortunate victims on sharp thorns or twigs. And he uses this device as a buffet. Slowly, he gradually tears off a piece and eats.
This hunting skill develops in an individual with age. It’s very difficult for young people to do this at first. They receive abrasions and wounds from sharp thorns for a long time and painfully before they learn how to do this. However, science is not in vain, and soon the shrike chicks themselves will be able to string such a “kebab.”
Moreover, this method allows birds to put aside reserves for hungry times. When the weather is bad and there is no hunting, the shrike uses its “pantry”. He doesn't like to share with anyone. Moreover, a hungry lifestyle can affect the offspring.
Distribution and habitats
Zhulan took a fancy to Europe and Asia - these parts of the earth seem to him the most convenient and suitable, both in terms of lifestyle, eating habits, and acclimatization.
Preferences regarding the location of a home necessarily include several points:
- The nest should be located in the thorny thicket - the shrike does not like uninvited guests.
- These birds settle near ponds or rivers.
- Shrikes build very strong nests, as if made of clay.
It must be remembered that predators, by their nature, are very careful; accordingly, they have their own tactics for building a nest and way of life.
Habitat
We can say that the common shrike is a rather unpretentious bird in terms of habitat. And you can meet them in completely different landscape areas. This can be: forest, tundra, steppe, peat bog and forest-steppe. But there are still areas that especially attract them. For a comfortable existence, shrike shrikes need to have thickets of various, preferably thorny, shrubs in their habitat area. For example, in thickets of hawthorn or thorn, it is convenient for them to hide their supplies, pinned on thorns. And in the dense thickets of prickly rose hips, they happily set up their nests. Because they believe that few predators will climb into these wilds.
It is also desirable that the thickets of bushes be located near forest edges, fields, meadows, as well as gardens, where you can find food without any effort.
The bird can also settle in suburban areas, and occasionally in city parks.
Female and male shrike on an apple tree branch
The bird also does not shy away from water bodies, and if there is any river or reservoir, it will try to find a place for a nest in the immediate vicinity of it.
Kinds
Shrikes belong to the genus of shrikes. There are 32 species within these genera. We present those that belong to the shrike:
American shrike
This is a small gray bird, the plumage of which is dominated by gray color and a peculiar black stripe in the eye area. The wings and tail are painted black. The Shrike has dark, prehensile legs. By the way, the chicks of this species have completely white paws. These birds have no claws.
There is practically no sexual dimorphism in the American shrike, with the exception of the brighter coloring of the male, while the females are not so bright. In both sexes, the beak has a hooked, curled shape, and the color is black.
Thanks to the black stripe in the eye area, the shrike has a predatory, inhospitable appearance. The American Shrike has a medium build, body length up to 20 cm, weight 30 grams. Shrikes have a pronounced tail, it has an elongated shape.
The nesting halo of distribution covers the southern USA: Ontario, Quebec. Shrikes also nest in Mexico. It should be noted that birds living in the southern regions of the country do not need winter migration.
At the moment, the American Shrike is at risk, as the bird may simply die.
Rufous-tailed Shrike
Distributed in Asia: Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Iran, northern China, in the Altai Mountains region of Russia.
The place to build a nest is chosen carefully, because safety is a priority. The bird of this subspecies likes to nest at an altitude of up to 3 thousand meters above sea level. An obligatory point is the question of choosing a place - shrikes choose dense bushes, thickets, and shrubs.
The red-tailed shrike is colored gray, its belly is dull pink, its wings and tail are red. This subspecies of birds lacks a black stripe along the eyes. The body weight of an adult male is 31-38 grams, length 17 cm. Females are more graceful, but less bright in color.
Siberian Shrike
It spreads to the territory of Central Siberia, Kamchatka, and covers Sakhalin. This subspecies of the shrike also lives in Mongolia, Altai, Korea, Manchuria, Japan, and China.
Nesting places: steppe, mountainous regions, polar zone.
The plumage of the Siberian shrike is predominantly brown, copper-red. The wings are dark gray, and the abdomen and chest are creamy white. Along the eyes there is a black stripe, which is accompanied by a white eyebrow.
Interestingly, in the nest of the Siberian shrike you can often find eggs of the Indian cuckoo, which lives in China.
Indian Shrike
Found in Asia. Usually it looks like the average shrike, only its colors are dominated by brighter colors. Another distinctive feature of the Indian shrike is its long, stepped tail. The neck and rump are gray, the belly and sides are red. The beak and legs of this subspecies are black, as are the eyes.
The dimensions of this bird are: 17 cm in length and 28 grams in body weight. It chooses a cozy place for nesting, preferably away from prying eyes. It especially likes to settle in pistachio thickets.
Burmese Shrike
Inhabits the territory of Japan. This bird is very similar to the previous species. But the Burmese Shrike has more red plumage on its body. Body length 17-18 cm, weight – 30 grams. Sexual dimorphism is expressed only in the brightness of the male’s colors.
Habitat
Populations of the common shrike have chosen Central, Northern and Western Europe as their nesting sites, as well as the western territories of Asia. On the southern side, the boundaries of their range move along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, passing through the Caucasus, through the west of Central Asia and the Himalayas all the way to Mongolia. These territories are suitable for birds both due to their inherent climate and the availability of food supply, which completely suits them.
Most shrikes inhabiting European countries spend the winter in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, and Botswana. At the same time, they “bypass” the river basin. Congo with its tropical forests, as well as extremely dry areas.
Birds native to eastern Russia and western Siberia fly over the Arabian Peninsula to the Middle East and eastern Africa.
Other populations spend the winter in areas of Southeast Asia and India.
Zhulan grabbed an insect
Just 10 years ago, the common shrike could be found nesting on the lands of Great Britain. Moreover, there was a fairly large population there. But in an inexplicable way for ornithologists, the birds have changed their preferences and now only fly over this country during migrations, excluding it from the list of places where they can build nests.
Female and male
Shrikes, although birds of prey that live by the rule “survival of the fittest,” do not neglect the monogamous union that they create for life.
In the process of attracting the very female with whom the shrike would like to build a pair, the male uses a trill. By the way, the voice of the shrike is capable of duplicating the voices of other birds.
Sexual dimorphism in shrikes is weakly expressed and occurs only in the brightness of the male’s plumage. Interestingly, this feature applies to all types of shrikes.
The nest is built by the female and male together. In appearance, the home of these birds is chaotic and looks disheveled. Both parents incubate the eggs. The male has remarkable courage - he is able to scream loudly and fight back if he senses danger to the chicks. This even applies to a person if he approaches the shrike’s nest.
A pair hatches 5-6 eggs per summer. At this time, the male fully provides his other half with the necessary food.
Common Shrike - a small bird nicknamed "Executioner"
We are accustomed to the fact that birds of prey are large, serious-looking birds that easily lift and carry away their prey. However, among them there are also those who do not look at all like powerful hunters, for example, the common Shrike (or Shrike Shrike, or Shrike Shrike). It is to him that we dedicate this article today.
The Latin name is Lanius collurio.
The English name is Red-backed Shrike.
The common shrike, or shrike, belongs to the shrike family, the order of passeriformes.
Kinds
In total, there are about 70 species in the shrike family; no more than seven of them are found in our country. The shrike family is divided into groups that can be considered subfamilies. Currently, ornithological scientists count 32 such groups. By name they can be divided as follows:
by color: red-headed shrike, black-fronted, red-tailed, gray, grey-shouldered, grey-backed, piebald, white-browed, brindle, red-backed, long-tailed, wedge-tailed, as well as common shrike and red-tailed shrike;
by habitat: Philippine shrike, Tibetan, desert, Somali; as well as Siberian, Burmese, American, Indian shrikes.
By appearance, behavior or other qualities: prosecutor shrike, governor shrike, masked shrike, Newton's shrike.
They all have common distinctive features, such as a strong hooked beak, short wings, and a long tail. Their lifestyle and habitat are also very similar.
Shrikes are small birds of prey. But, despite their “frivolous” size, these little ones are not only brave and cunning, but also bloodthirsty hunters. They fly out in search of prey even when well-fed, making provisions for a rainy day. In general, there is always room for a thriller in the life of shrikes. Thus, their peculiarity of storing the corpses of victims close to the nest, hanging them on branches or even impaling them on the thorns of bushes, is widely known. These little accomplices of the Devil do not tolerate anyone on their territory; with the strength of a predator and the intelligence of a passerine bird, they drive away everyone and everyone, without fear of anyone.
However, let's start from the beginning.
Common Shrike - description, habitat, interesting facts
Why is the bird called Shrike? — you ask, our dear readers.
Let us first find out the origin of the word “shrike”. There are several versions about this. According to the first version, in the old days hunters called these birds this way because they scared the magpies in order to seize their nest. According to another version, the name of this bird species is translated from Czech as “spotted woodpecker.”
According to the third version, which seems to me to be very original: the singing of these birds is similar to the creaking of a cart, which in the old days was called “magpie,” and this is how this name stuck to them.
The fourth version goes like this: the word “shrike” means “to be confused with a magpie,” since the silhouette of a shrike is similar to that of a magpie. In addition, these two birds are similar in voice and behavior. However, there is another version, reflecting the intolerance of shrikes towards other birds in their territory. The Slavic root “pudit” means “to drive”, “to pursue”. This version is supported by the Ukrainian name of the bird - “sorokogin”, that is, “chasing a magpie”. Perhaps the origin of this name is precedent: someone watched a shrike chase a poor white-sided...
Why "Zhulan"? The origin of this word can generally be interpreted very freely. Let's look at the most popular versions. The first is from the old Bulgarian word “to cheat” - “to scratch, rub, peel”, this is one of the cruel qualities of this bird (it not only kills prey, but also hangs it on thorns and twigs).
The second version is associated with the bird’s talent for onomatopoeia - they “chew, champ, buzz, smack”, hence the name “chew”.
But the Latin name of the shrike is very, very frightening: Lanius - “butcher”, “executioner”, “sacrificer”.
A person has a rather complicated relationship with a shrike. On the one hand, the bird destroys insects and rodents, which greatly helps people. On the other hand, the shrike is still a predator that hunts everyone, including songbirds.
In the gardens and parks where the shrike family settles, not only the robins, delighting our ears with their pleasant singing, are gradually disappearing, but also other “singers” that inhabited them before. They leave their homes not only because they can be caught and eaten by the shrike, but also because it skillfully finds their nests. Having found it, it destroys every single chick. There are many known cases when the shrike strangled and carried away young robins, wagtails, and larks; attacked birds caught in snares; and even tried to get a finch and a canary out of their cage.
Biological scientists conducted an experiment: they selected two gardens as the object of study. In one, shrikes were completely eliminated, and songbirds lived there safely. These helpful neighbors not only delighted with their singing, but also destroyed harmful insects, as a result of which the garden bore fruit magnificently.
In another garden, arranged in the same way, the shrikes were allowed to manage to their heart's content. And although not all shrikes hunt birds, small birds perceived these little robbers as a fairly serious threat. And soon an exclusion zone was formed. All the songbirds left the garden, and the predators could not cope with the caterpillars, especially since this is not their main goal. As a result, the garden was deserted and there was no harvest at all. Here's the story.
Description and features
In size, the common shrike is slightly larger than a sparrow, has an elongated body (length 16-18 cm), weighs from 25 to 32 grams. Wingspan 28-32 cm.
The shrike and the sparrow are not only relatives on paper (they belong to the same order), they are also similar in appearance to each other, only the common shrike is a little brighter in plumage. Its plumage is usually thick, loose, and even.
And, of course, the male is the most beautiful compared to the females. The head of the male shrike is gray, the neck is white, and the wings and back are reddish. The chest and belly are light, with a slight pink tint, and the tail is black and white.
Like real robbers, they wear a Zorro mask on their “face”: a wide stripe runs through the shrike’s eyes - black for males, and dark brown for females.
Females are much more modest than males. Females are buffy-brown above with a dirty-white belly, on which a transverse scaly pattern stands out.
Young shrikes are similar in feather color to the female, but are very variegated. In addition to the abdomen, a transverse wavy pattern stands out on their head and back. The legs and beak of adult birds are black, while those of growing chicks are light and brownish.
The legs are not very powerful, there are no sharp claws. However, shrikes are quite capable of holding and carrying small game.
A distinctive feature of the shrike is its “hawk-like” hooked strong beak. Such hook-shaped beaks are characteristic of hawks, falcons and owls.
These colorful birds have a lively disposition. Nature also endowed them with rare intelligence.
A description of the bird would be incomplete without mention of the voice. The voice of the shrike cannot be called melodious, and in itself it is not of interest. These birds simply make short, dry sounds, similar to chirping or buzzing. Often his song consists of two words: “check-check.” But when the shrike feels danger, the “chatting” becomes so formidable that it can scare away the enemy. Moreover, other shrikes join in with the frightening sounds, thereby creating psychological pressure on the attacker.
But shrikes can significantly improve and diversify their singing by listening with great diligence to the songs of various songbirds. This is their talent. They combine and merge everything they have learned little by little in a strange, but quite successful way. Moreover, the shrike is able to imitate not only the voice of birds, but also the sounds emanating from other representatives of the animal world.
One storyteller described the shrike's singing as follows: “I listened to this bird sing. The male sat on the top of the bush and sang quite loudly and pleasantly for a long time; he recited verses from the songs of the skylark, woodlark, robin and other warblers. If any singer deserves the title of mockingbird, it is the shrike.”
If a shrike is caught young and lives in captivity, it loses the ability to sing. Brought up in a cage, the little “mockingbird” does not hear the songs of other birds and makes barely audible sounds, because he has no one to imitate. But if he is caught as an adult in a place where he was surrounded by well-singing birds, the situation will be exactly the opposite. In this case, it would be difficult to have a nicer performer in the room than the Shrike. The only pity is that each of them strives to add some unpleasant tones to this euphony. For example, the croaking of a frog or the chirping of a grasshopper.
Lifestyle and habitat
The common shrike is a migratory bird. Shrikes live in Europe and Western Asia (east to the Yenisei and Altai). Previously, they could be found mainly in Great Britain, but over the past decades the birds have radically changed their location - they choose England only as a country for wandering, and not nesting, as it was before.
They do not tolerate severe frosts, therefore, with the advent of the first cold weather, which is September, shrikes rush to leave the nest. For the winter they fly to Africa - to a more favorable climate. It is interesting that these birds travel their way to Africa only at night, and rest during the day.
They prefer open spaces: clearings, forest glades and edges, raised bogs, wastelands, orchards. They can also live in floodplains, city parks and forest belts surrounding fields. They need bushes, piles of brushwood or other low perches.
Even one bush in the field is quite capable of satisfying this unassuming bird. The little “executioner” can sit for a long time on the top of a bush or tree, a pole or on wires, turning his head in all directions, looking for the next victim.
This is his “guard point”, from here the shrike inspects and controls his hunting estate. The posture of the male bird is striking: it is straight, the body sits almost upright. If another bird sits nearby, he will twitch his tail provocatively, attracting its attention. If a shrike is forcibly driven from a height, it falls like a stone almost to the ground, flies low over it and finally takes off again.
The shrike is such a bold, courageous and restless bird that it can settle next to another bird of prey if it likes this territory. For example, he loves to nest near the water and lives there, carefully looking at his neighbors. Interestingly, shrikes prefer to nest in the same place. These birds value their “home” very much, so they return to the same place and staunchly defend it from the encroachment of other birds.
Seeing danger near its nest, the shrike does not fly away, but, on the contrary, remains in sight and warns its family about the danger. He begins to scream sharply and loudly, twitch his tail, and tries to threaten his enemy, no matter who he is. The loud cry of the shrike attracts close and distant relatives, who also begin to make an alarming noise. And a continuous noise and din rises above the forest. Usually such cacophony scares away a serious predator.
Even in such a situation, the shrike will not be afraid of a person, and can attack, protecting its offspring. Moreover, both male and female can attack. The bite is very painful. If the head is not covered with a hat, it will peck until it bleeds.
The Shrike will not let itself be offended - this bird always puts its interests above others, and its comfort first.
What does it eat?
Since we mentioned that the shrike is a real predator, it is natural that its diet includes, first of all, all kinds of insects: locusts, dragonflies, bumblebees, various grasshoppers, butterflies, beetles or caterpillars. Favorite method of hunting: sitting motionless on a branch. When the victim approaches, the “executioner” grabs it with his beak. Moreover, it catches flying insects and eats them right in the process of flight.
The shrike will not refuse small vertebrates that it is able to defeat: field mice (for its effectiveness in hunting mice, the shrike is simply a godsend for gardeners!), toads, frogs or small lizards. This “butcher” also poses a threat to small passerine birds - sparrows, tits, finches, etc.
Shrikes usually hunt alone, sometimes in pairs. They do not like to herd prey with the whole flock. A distinctive feature of the shrike is the twirling of its tail and head (however, this is also characteristic of other predators). Shrikes do this during hunting as well. The fact is that this is more likely not a habit, but a reflex that contributes to adaptation to an attack.
You cannot catch small animals and birds on the fly, so the shrike uses a different method of eating prey in this case. He impales the unfortunate victims on sharp thorns from branches or twigs and begins the meal: slowly, he gradually tears off a piece and eats (the process is not for the faint of heart!). Therefore, for its cold-bloodedness, this bird is often called an ardent predator.
This hunting skill develops in an individual with age. It’s very difficult for young people to do this at first. They receive abrasions and wounds from sharp thorns for a long time and painfully before they learn how to do this. However, science is not in vain, and soon the shrike chicks themselves can string such a “kebab”.
The hunting process captivates this bird so much that it continues to kill, even if it is already full. If the hunt is successful, these birds store food for future use, drying the prey on sharp branches or thorns of plants.
Moreover, this method allows birds to put aside reserves for hungry times. When the weather is bad and there is no hunting, the shrike uses its “pantry”. He doesn't like to share with anyone. Moreover, a hungry lifestyle can affect the offspring.
Reproduction
Although the shrike flies to distant Africa for the winter, it produces offspring in its homeland. Appears in nesting areas in late spring - in the middle or end of May. First the males return, and a little later the females. And soon you can see how pairs are created. This is where the males show their best qualities in full force.
With all passion, the male shrike tries to charm the female, sings to her in all sorts of ways, and shows off his plumage. Several males may even fight over a female. The feathered bird is frantic, inventive and irresistible during the mating season.
Finally, when the female chooses a mate, the pair is formed and they begin building the nest together.
Surprisingly, these formidable little predators, living by the principle of “survival of the fittest,” prefer a monogamous union, which they create for life.
It must be remembered that predators by their nature are very careful; accordingly, they have their own tactics, not only in their way of life, but also in building a nest.
As a rule, the shrike's nest is located in the densest bushes, often in thorny thickets (the shrike does not like uninvited guests!), quite low above the ground (at a height of about 2 meters). You can also find a nest on a fallen trunk among the branches, and very rarely - right on the ground. If there is a body of water nearby, then the common shrike will definitely settle nearby. Sometimes birds make their nest close to areas where hawk warblers live.
Its nest is massive, dense, thick and looks like clay, although in fact it is built from any available material that the birds can find nearby: branches, twigs, dry leaves, roots, moss. Paper, rope, and various rubbish also come into use. The lining is feathers and wool. This structure looks a little sloppy, but it is very durable.
At the end of May - beginning of June, the female lays 4-6 eggs, covered with a pinkish, olive or yellowish shell with shapeless inclusions of brown color. The shell is usually matte, sometimes moderately glossy. The shrike has one peculiarity: each female has its own coloring of eggs. They also differ in the shape of the spots. In fact, each female lays eggs that are somewhat different from the others. The eggs lie in the nest for a reason, but according to the pattern: narrow ends inward, neatly in a circle. The female sits on the eggs, and the male is nearby. He fully provides his other half with the necessary food, monitors safety and order.
Sometimes the male replaces his wife in the clutch. When the female incubates eggs, she is extremely focused and is not distracted by anything. In general, shrikes need to be very attentive at this time, because it is in their nest that the cuckoo likes to throw its eggs. And the cuckoo, growing up, throws its own children out of the nest.
The incubation period lasts 14-18 days. Babies are born in a downy robe, painted in dark colors, and only the head is painted ash-gray.
Shrike chicks stay in the nest for about 14 days. All this time, both parents feed them and carefully guard them. At the same time, the father has remarkable courage and bravery - he is able to scream loudly and fight off attacks from predators if he senses danger for his children. When threatened with an attack, shrikes use a unique tactic: the female is the first to fly from the nest and perform a diversionary maneuver, dropping down and making a lot of noise, and the male, who is staying nearby on a tree, dives at the enemy from the air. Moreover, at first he makes several warning passes, however, if the enemy does not calm down, reprisals await him: powerful blows to the head with his beak. Even if it was possible to drive away the enemy, the male will continue to pursue him with noisy accompaniment. It also bravely rushes at a person approaching the nest.
Having fledged, the chicks begin to leave the nest. But even after the chicks fly out of the nest, they are still not able to feed themselves and for about three weeks they still need the care of their parents: the father and mother jointly feed their babies.
It’s a paradox, but for these “bloodthirsty” predators, love, peace and tranquility reign in the family and in the nest. And all the unpleasant qualities of this little “executioner”, such as aggressiveness, cold-blooded cruelty in the hunt, grumpiness, predation - are nothing compared to their touching care and tenderness that the spouses show not only towards each other, but also towards their offspring.
Having raised the chicks and survived the summer at home, by the end of August the birds begin to prepare for the journey. And by mid-September, when insects disappear, you won’t see a single shrike in our Moscow region.
Keeping the common shrike in captivity
The shrike can get used to captivity, although it is a freedom-loving bird.
However, it is better to keep it in a cage separately from other birds. He can even attack those larger than him. For keeping in captivity, it is better to take not an adult bird, but a chick taken from the nest. Adult wild shrikes are not domesticated.
To teach the young male, recordings of songs from songbirds such as blackbirds and nightingales are included. The bird is capable of reproducing many musical passages, but best of all it manages to imitate a doorbell, the creaking of a door, or the whistling of a kettle.
It is unlikely that the common shrike can be called a virtuoso of bird song, but its song is pleasant for bird lovers.
Probably, any falconer would not refuse to make a bird of prey from a shrike. However, this is not easy, since the “executioner” is difficult to tame. It can suddenly bite a person. Moreover, it is to bite, not to peck. But once you get used to it, it will become almost completely tame.
Lifespan
Their life expectancy is different in freedom and in captivity. The maximum age of this bird recorded in Europe is just over 10 years.
Nature gave the shrike a small body, but a strong and courageous spirit!
Tatyana Gvozdeva September 20, 2022
Tatyana Lvovna knows how to please and surprise the readers of our site! This time the hero of her story is a shrike. Frankly, we have never heard such a word. If you ask us what this word means, we won’t tell you right away. And even more so, they had no idea that such an interesting bird lived in our Lakelands. Straight up - little thug!
We read the informative article and admire the beautiful photographs that Tatyana Lvovna kindly provided us with. (Site administration).
PS Any third-party use of copyright materials from this publication is possible only with the consent of the author.
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Keeping at home
Shrikes are very aggressive birds, so there is no need to interfere with their freedom. If you want to keep this bird at home, then it is better to take not an adult, but a tiny chick. The fact is that when a shrike grows up, it develops a predatory instinct - the bird will never allow a person to approach it. It is much easier to tame a chick to a cage.
Feed the shrike raw meat, lizards, mice, insects, dragonflies, crickets - and your pet will be very happy. Remember that a hungry shrike is angry and he will remind you of this in every possible way.
It is better to place the cage with the shrike in a sunny place. Place a small bath in the home - the bird loves to bathe.
It is better to choose a spacious metal cage.
Zhulan does not know how to create improvised melodies. But he manages to copy the thrush and the nightingale. To make the bird duplicate the singing of other birds, play recordings of the singing of a nightingale or canary.
Reproduction in shrikes occurs in the spring – in April and May. Laying lasts up to 14 days. In three weeks, the little chicks become adults, but the parents still continue to feed the offspring.
Vocal characteristics and reproduction
To communicate and transmit signals, sounds of different timbre and volume are used. Trills alternate with sounds resembling gurgling. Male representatives of the common shrike attract the attention of females by alternating whistles and trills. In times of danger, birds emit a very loud and prolonged whistle in order to notify as many relatives as possible.
When the male finds a mate, his girlfriend begins to arrange the nest. For this purpose it chooses bushes, but sometimes you can see shrike nests in trees. The female lays eggs in late May or early June. There are from 4 to 6 eggs in one clutch. The chicks hatch after about 14 days. The female incubates them, and the male feeds and protects her. The chicks develop quickly. After 20 days they fly away from their native nest.
Interesting Facts
- The shrike is a carnivorous bird; moreover, it cannot imagine its life without the meat of other animals.
- The bird is not distinguished by its impressive appearance, but it has a lot of courage. Zhulans are able to fight off even people who pose a danger to them.
- Shrikes are very thrifty - they store their prey in reserve.
- When hunting prey, the shrike prefers to sit in ambush.
- The shrike bird is very conflicting and predatory in relations with the weak, but for gardeners it is a godsend, because the shrike hunts mice.
- Despite its predatory and cold-blooded nature, the shrike is very gentle with its mate and very caring, like a father.
- The shrike can create sounds very similar to other birds. He is able to parody the voices of his fellows.
Notes
- Boehme R. L., Flint V. E.
Five-language dictionary of animal names. Birds. Latin, Russian, English, German, French / Under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., "RUSSO", 1994. - P. 289. - 2030 copies. — ISBN 5-200-00643-0. - [www.balatsky.de/Cuc_Russii/Cuckoo_ind.htm INDIAN CUCKOO - Cuculus micropterus]
- [birds.academic.ru/1828/%D0%98%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BA% D1%83%D0%BA%D1%83%D1%88%D0%BA%D0%B0 Indian cuckoo]
An excerpt characterizing the Siberian Shrike
On December 31, on New Year's Eve 1810, le reveillon [night supper], there was a ball at Catherine's nobleman's house. The diplomatic corps and the sovereign were supposed to be at the ball. On the Promenade des Anglais, the famous house of a nobleman glowed with countless lights. At the illuminated entrance with a red cloth stood the police, and not only gendarmes, but the police chief at the entrance and dozens of police officers. The carriages drove off, and new ones drove up with red footmen and footmen with feathered hats. Men in uniforms, stars and ribbons came out of the carriages; ladies in satin and ermine carefully stepped down the noisily laid down steps, and hurriedly and silently walked along the cloth of the entrance. Almost every time a new carriage arrived, there was a murmur in the crowd and hats were taken off. “Sovereign?... No, minister... prince... envoy... Don’t you see the feathers?...” said from the crowd. One of the crowd, better dressed than the others, seemed to know everyone, and called by name the most noble nobles of that time. Already one third of the guests had arrived at this ball, and the Rostovs, who were supposed to be at this ball, were still hastily preparing to dress. There was a lot of talk and preparation for this ball in the Rostov family, a lot of fears that the invitation would not be received, the dress would not be ready, and everything would not work out as needed. Along with the Rostovs, Marya Ignatievna Peronskaya, a friend and relative of the countess, a thin and yellow maid of honor of the old court, leading the provincial Rostovs in the highest St. Petersburg society, went to the ball. At 10 o'clock in the evening the Rostovs were supposed to pick up the maid of honor at the Tauride Garden; and yet it was already five minutes to ten, and the young ladies were not yet dressed. Natasha was going to the first big ball in her life. That day she got up at 8 o'clock in the morning and was in feverish anxiety and activity all day. All her strength, from the very morning, was aimed at ensuring that they all: she, mother, Sonya were dressed in the best possible way. Sonya and the Countess trusted her completely. The countess was supposed to be wearing a masaka velvet dress, the two of them were wearing white smoky dresses on pink, silk covers with roses in the bodice. The hair had to be combed a la grecque [in Greek].
