For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the U.K.
Red-backed Shrikes
Scientific name: Lanius collurio
Size: Up to 17cm
Distribution: Seen on passage along the south and east coasts of the UK
Months seen: April to June and again from August to October
Habitat: Parks, gardens and woodland
Food: Insects and small mammals
Special features: Adult Red-backed Shrikes can be recognised by the bright reddish-brown back and pale grey front. They have thick, stout black beaks and greyish legs. The male has a pinkish tint to the grey front, a grey head and a broad black eye stripe. The female has a more brownish head and less prominent brown eye-stripe.
There are believed to be just a few pairs still breeding in the UK. Most UK sightings of Red-backed Shrikes are of birds passing through on migration.
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