A Long Tailed Shrike hunting on bushes near fields
Image by Hari K Patibanda
The most common resident shrike found throughout the year in our region. They are aggressive birds and we often sight chasing the pesky Drongoes which spare no effort to trouble other birds including the raptors.
These birds prefer to perch on tall posts, top of bushes, dry trees with thorns or fence posts and survey the area around for insects such as beetles, crickets, small lizards, skinks, dragonflies etc… Once the prey is sighted they dive and catch the prey. Sometimes, they use a thorny dry bush to pierce the prey onto the thorns and then tear them to consume it. This is a behaviour to compensate for the weak legs that cannot hold the prey to tear.
I think this is a subspecies found in the Central India since the Shrikes we have here don’t have such reddish back.
Appreciate all your views and feedback. Many thanks in advance.
