# Red-backed Shrike (*Lanius collurio*) The Red-backed Shrike is a small bird with a striking red back and a black mask. It loves to sit on fences and watch for insects to eat. This bird is known for its unique hunting style! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Red-backed Shrike](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lanius_collurio_-_Red-backed_shrike_09.jpg&width=800) Photo: Zeynel Cebeci, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lanius_collurio_-_Red-backed_shrike_09.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-backed Shrike male has a distinctive reddish-brown back, a grey head with a black 'bandit mask' across its eyes, and a pale pinkish belly. Females are duller brown with wavy patterns on their flanks, lacking the strong mask. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Laniidae - **Genus:** Lanius ## Interesting facts - Males show off their hunting skills by offering prey to females during courtship! - Red-backed Shrike babies are born naked and blind, needing constant care! - Their hooked beak helps them tear up tough prey, like a tiny raptor's beak! - These birds build cup-shaped nests, often deep within thorny, protective bushes! ## Special abilities - **Butcher Bird's Larder:** Red-backed Shrikes can impale prey on thorns because they lack strong talons, helping them tear food into pieces or store it. - **Mimicry Master:** Red-backed Shrikes have a diverse song that includes imitations of other birds, which helps them attract mates. - **Ambush Hunter:** Red-backed Shrikes can spot prey from a perch and dive swiftly because they have sharp eyesight, helping them catch insects. - **Long-Distance Navigator:** Red-backed Shrikes have an incredible sense of direction because they travel thousands of kilometers, helping them migrate yearly. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 16-18 cm - **Wingspan:** 24-27 cm - **Weight:** 0.025-0.035 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-8 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-7 - **Incubation:** 14-15 days - **Migration Distance:** 8000 km ## Diet & Feeding They are tiny hunters that eat mostly big insects and sometimes small animals! - **Primary Foods:** Grasshoppers, Beetles, Crickets, Lizards, Voles, Shrews - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Migratory Locust](https://www.snappit.app/explore/migratory-locust) (*Locusta migratoria*) — A primary food source of large insects. - **Eats:** [Common Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-vole) (*Microtus arvalis*) — Hunts small rodents when available. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — A swift raptor that preys on shrikes. - **Shelter:** [Blackthorn](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blackthorn) (*Prunus spinosa*) — Thorny bushes offer safe nesting and food storage. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-backed Shrike? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Red-backed Shrike? 16-18 cm ### What is Red-backed Shrike's wingspan? 24-27 cm ### How much does Red-backed Shrike weigh? 0.025-0.035 kg ### How long does Red-backed Shrike live? 5-8 years ### How fast can Red-backed Shrike move? 40 km/h ### What does Red-backed Shrike eat? They are tiny hunters that eat mostly big insects and sometimes small animals! ### Where is Red-backed Shrike usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Naturpark Harz/Sachsen-Anhalt (Mansfelder Land)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-harz-sachsen-anhalt-mansfelder-land) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Park - [Naturpark Holsteinische Schweiz](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-holsteinische-schweiz) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Park - [Ammergau Alps Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ammergau-alps-nature-park) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Bourtanger Moor–Veenland Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bourtanger-moor-veenland-nature-park) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park - [Naturpark Lüneburger Heide](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/luneburg-heath-nature-park) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park - [Naturpark Niederlausitzer Landrücken](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/niederlausitzer-landruecken-nature-park) — Brandenburg, DE · Park [View all places to see Red-backed Shrike](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-backed-shrike) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Red-backed Shrike: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-backed-shrike)