No. 15 Shrikes
Note: Click on photo to enlarge image The Shrike family comprises a small group of medium-sized songbirds, of which four are regularly seen in Cyprus. Their most characteristic feature is the distinctive strong bill that has a hooked tip. All species also have a distinct eye stripe, generally dark grey or black in colour. Most species have long tails and all have strong feet and claws. Shrikes are commonly known as "butcher birds", so named from the tendency of some species (particularly the Red-backed Shrike) to store prey species (mostly beetles and large insects) on the thorns of shrubs and bushes. Red-backed Shrike Like all the Shrikes, this bird is a passage migrant through Cyprus, and this particular bird is much more commonly seen in Autumn than in Spring. It winters in Africa, migrating north mainly in May and returning south predominantly in August, September and early October. The species has suffered a steady and general decline through the twentieth Centu...