adult

adult juvenile European distribution

Identification

Adult Woodchat Shrikes are unmistakeable, being mostly black and white but with a broad red patch on the crown and nape. The juveniles though are mostly dull brown but obviously scaly like other juvenile shrikes. However, they are the only shrikes with pale rumps and a plain face in which the lack of a dark mask gives them a gentler expression than other shrikes. They also have a pale bar across the median coverts, a pale patch in the primaries and, especially a pale panel on the shoulders unlike Red-backed Shrikes, although these markings are lacking or less prominent on Woodchats of the race badins.

Habitat

Breeds in areas of scattered trees and tall bushes, often perching on nearby wires.

Migration

The Woodchat Shrike winters in sub-Saharan Africa across a wide band from Niger in the east to the Sudan in the west.

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, Woodchat Shrike is classed as Scarce: broadly speaking, species that are covered in British Birds' annual review of scarce species (and forms of similar rarity).

Parc Natural S'Albufera, Mallorca, Spain 15/06/2010	Arboleas, Almeria, Andalucia, Spain 15/06/2010	Winterton Dunes, Norfolk 11/05/2010	Canvey Island, Essex 18/05/2010	Winterton Dunes, Norfolk 15/05/2010
Winterton Dunes, Norfolk 15/05/2010	Winterton Dunes, Norfolk 15/05/2010	Canvey Island, Essex 18/05/2010	Canvey Island, Essex 18/05/2010	Winterton Dunes, Norfolk 15/05/2010

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

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Italy
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Spain
Switzerland
Turkey

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	Woodchat Shrike subspecies Lanius senator badius added to British List	Friday 7th May 2004
	The British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee (BOURC) has admitted the Mediterranean race of Woodchat Shrike, Lanius senator badius, to the British List.   read on

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