Shrikes of the World (Helm Identification Guides)

Product Information

This long-awaited update to the acclaimed first edition is the definitive guide to a complex and intriguing family. The species accounts and taxonomic treatments have been fully revised in line with recent studies, and the all-new plates and photos complete this remarkable work. Highly recommended.' - Dominic Mitchell Madge, S. & Burn, H. 1994. Crows & Jays: a guide to the crows, jays and magpies of the world. Helm, London. Peregrine is widespread and exhibits considerable variation, with sixteen subspecies recognised worldwide. Nominate peregrinus breeds across Europe and northern Asia but is replaced across northernmost Arctic regions by calidus (‘Russian Peregrine’), a long distance migrant. Similarly, in North America the subspecies anatum is replaced in northernmost regions by tundrius (‘Tundra Peregrine’), also a long distance migrant.

Owls to Tits (incl. Falcons) - British Birds Rarities Committee Owls to Tits (incl. Falcons) - British Birds Rarities Committee

Claims of ‘classic’ soemmerringii (i.e. those considered to show characters beyond the range of monedula) are welcomed if accompanied by photographs but the admission of this subspecies to the British List without proof of origin in the form of a ringing recovery seems unlikely. ( updated Dec 2017 AMS). Identification to subspecies is difficult though cristatus is paler and more ‘grey and white’ than scoticus. The subspecies mitratus is more similar to Scottish birds. However, mitratus intergrades extensively with cristatus, producing birds of variable appearance. Claims of badius are welcomed if accompanied by detailed notes and preferably photographs. Claims of first-year niloticus should be accompanied by photographs. Claims of adult niloticus are also welcomed but only trapped, measured and photographed birds are likely to gain acceptance. For any of these subspecies a ringing recovery would of course provide additional evidence. ( updated Oct 2018 AMS). And although the Northern Shrike is doing well for now, its Arctic range is vulnerable to climate change, and this species could lose more than three-quarters of its habitat if global temperatures rise by 1.5°C. The subspecies pallidirostris (usually referred to as ‘Steppe Grey Shrike’) breeds in Central Asia. It is a rare but regular vagrant to Britain with 26 records to the end of 2017. Key features include a rather bulbous bill, long legs, long primary projection, pale lores, weak face mask, pinkish hues in the underparts, dusty brown hues in the pale grey upperparts and a large white wing patch which is restricted to the primaries.Shrike". Oxford English Dictionary (Onlineed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.) Policies enacted by Congress and federal agencies, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have a huge impact on America's birds. You can help shape these rules for the better by telling lawmakers to prioritize birds, bird habitat, and bird-friendly measures. To get started, visit ABC's Action Center.

Shrikes of the World - Bloomsbury Publishing Shrikes of the World - Bloomsbury Publishing

Twenty-six years ago, author Norbert Lefranc and illustrator Tim Worfolk produced a labour of love with the first edition of Shrikes of the World, which became the definitive work for this multifaceted, complicated group of birds. With a new series of stunningly detailed plates showing the full range of variation within species, and text accounts that incorporate recent advances in genetic work, the wait for the second edition has surely been worth it. Claims of ‘classic’ guttata are welcomed if accompanied by detailed notes and preferably photographs. Details of a ringed or marked bird would provide additional evidence. Claims of either nominate columbarius or pallidus should include detailed notes and photographs. A ringing recovery would of course provide more solid evidence. ( updated April 2020 AMS). This book is the first monograph in English on the 34 shrike species distributed across Africa, Eurasia and North America. These birds have attracted the attention of ornithologists for a long time, mainly because of their predatory nature and the methods which they use to dispatch their prey. In the book, the most important information on shrikes of the World is summarized, much of which has accumulated in the ornithological literature and obtained by the author himself. These voluminous empirical data are also used by the author in an attempt to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the group at different stages of its phylogenesis, from the early origins of the family Laniidae, presumably in Africa, through the secondary expansion of species across Eurasia and into the New World.

Small, B. J. & Walbridge, G. 2005. A review of the identification of ‘Balearic Woodchat Shrike’, and details of three British records. British Birds 98: 34-42.

Shrikes of the World by Norbert Lefranc | Perlego [PDF] Shrikes of the World by Norbert Lefranc | Perlego

Identification is not always clear-cut. There is considerable individual and sex-related variation in both subspecies whilst intergradation between alba and guttata means that only darker guttata (predominantly females) are safely diagnosable and paler guttata may be overlooked. The key features are uniformly deep buff underparts extending to the tarsi, undertail coverts and underwing coverts, extensive dark grey hues in the upperparts and dark areas around the eyes (French 2009). The family name, and that of the largest genus, Lanius, is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes are also known as butcherbirds because of the habit, particularly of males, of impaling prey onto plant spines within their territories. These larders have multiple functions, attracting females and serving as food stores. [1] The common English name shrike is from Old English scrīc, alluding to the shrike's shriek-like call. [2] Taxonomy [ edit ] Shrikes are a charismatic group of small- to medium-sized birds with striking raptor-hooked bills and a face mask that gives them the look of small, fierce highwaymen. Their Latin name, Lanius, means butcher, and shrikes are commonly known as "butcher-birds" for their habit of impaling insect prey on the thorns of bushes. This book is the first complete guide to the thirty-one species in three genera of the family Laniidae. Along with superb illustrations and range maps to facilitate successful field identification of all the shrike species, this useful book contains the most recent information on the entire shrike family. The taxonomy of the ‘Great Grey Shrikes’ is in a state of considerable flux and at least six potential species have been identified though not formally proposed (Olsson et al. 2010). Pending further work, IOC currently defines Great Grey Shrike as comprising twelve subspecies, of which ten inhabit North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia and have been treated by many authors as ‘Southern Grey Shrike’. A further five North Asian and Nearctic taxa are treated by IOC as a separate species – ‘Northern Shrike’.a b Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2023). "Shrikes, vireos, shrike-babblers". IOC World Bird List Version 13.2. International Ornithologists' Union . Retrieved 23 July 2023. This long-awaited update to the acclaimed first edition is the definitive guide to a complex and intriguing family. The species accounts and taxonomic treatments have been fully revised in line with recent studies, and the all-new plates and photos complete this remarkable work. Highly recommended.' – Dominic Mitchell Claims of pallidirostris are welcomed if accompanied by detailed notes. Claims of homeyeri would require both detailed notes and photographs (including of the spread wing and tail) but only ‘classic’ individuals are likely to prove acceptable. A ringing recovery would of course provide additional evidence (updated July 2019 AMS). Lewington, I. 1999. Separation of Pallid Swift and pekinensis Common Swift. Birding World 12: 450-452. Nominate peregrinus breeds in Britain. No other subspecies is currently on the British List though an old pre-BBRC specimen record of anatum has been reviewed and rejected (Harrop 2004). However, calidus doubtless occurs, possibly with some regularity, and tundrius has also been suspected. The latter is clearly a potential vagrant, having reached Iceland on at least two occasions.