- Lesser Grey Shrike
Taxobox
name = Lesser Grey Shrike
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Passeriformes
familia = Laniidae
genus = "Lanius "
species = "L. minor"
binomial = "Lanius minor"
binomial_authority = Gmelin, 1788The Lesser Grey Shrike ("Lanius minor") is a member of theshrike family "Laniidae".It is similar in appearance to the
Great Grey Shrike "Lanius excubitor" and theSouthern Grey Shrike "L. meridionalis". It breeds in southeasternEurope and intoAsia .This species prefers dry open lowlands, and is prominent on telephone wires.
It is slightly smaller than the Great Grey Shrike, and has a black forehead and relatively longer wings.
This medium-sized migratory passerine eats large
insect s, small birds,rodent s andlizard s. Like other shrikes it hunts from prominent perches, and impales corpses on thorns or barbed wire as a "larder".It is a scarce vagrant to western Europe, including
Great Britain , usually as a spring overshoot.References
* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
External links
* [http://www.oiseaux.net/birds/photos/lesser.grey.shrike.html Oiseaux] Pictures
* [http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/402_LesserGreyShrikeLminor.pdf Ageing and sexing (PDF) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta]
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