adult

adult European distribution Adult perched

Identification

Great Grey Shrikes usually sit conspicuously on the tops of bushes or posts, scanning for prey such as rodents and small birds. They are white underneath, pearl grey above with mostly black wings and a mostly black tail. Once again, they have a striking black mask through the eye, although this does not reach round onto the forehead as in Lesser Grey Shrike. Notice how the wing tips don't even reach the back part of the tail.

Habitat

Breeds and winters in open heathy areas with scattered bushes.

Migration

Most birds are resident, except in the most northerly parts of its range. Many birds even remain in Scandinavia in winter, although they may move to sites away from their breeding areas.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Great Grey Shrike is classed as Scarce: broadly speaking, species that are covered in British Birds' annual review of scarce species (and forms of similar rarity).

Burley, Hants 06/04/2010	Filey, N Yorks 09/04/2010	Filey, N Yorks 09/04/2010	Filey, N Yorks 09/04/2010	Cross Inn Forest, Ceredigion 08/04/2010
Cross Inn Forest, Ceredigion 08/04/2010	Harwood Forest, Northumbs 07/04/2010	Burley, Hants 05/04/2010	Burley, Hants 05/04/2010	Burley, Hants 05/04/2010

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Great Grey Shrike breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Sweden
Ukraine

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	British Birds: 1942, vol. 36: pp 51-53 and 159-160	Thursday 24th April 2008
	An identification controversy and an interesting item of bird behaviour.
	In Search of Winter Great Grey Shrikes	Thursday 15th November 2001

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