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Laniidae - Shrikes

There are around 30 bird species in this family. Shrikes are found in all parts of the world, except for South America and Australia.

They are 6 -14 inches in length. They have strong, slightly hooked bills and strong, sharp claws. Most species have long, narrow tails. Shrikes are usually black, brown, or gray on their uppersides and a paler color on their undersides.

Birds in this family prey on vertebrate and invertebrate animals. They are the only birds in the Passeriformes order that are predators; in fact, Laniidae is Latin for butcher.

They often catch small birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians and impale them on thorns or barbed wire to eat later.

 

  • The yellow-billed shrike is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Yellow-Billed Shrike
    (Corvinella corvina)
    The yellow-billed shrike is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The white-crowned shrike is found in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    White-Crowned Shrike
    (Eurocephalus anguitimens)
    The white-crowned shrike is found in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The bull-headed shrike is found in China, Japan, North and South Korea, and Russia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Bull-Headed Shrike
    (Lanius bucephalus)
    The bull-headed shrike is found in China, Japan, North and South Korea, and Russia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The long-tailed fiscal is found in Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Long-Tailed Fiscal
    (Lanius cabanisi)
    The long-tailed fiscal is found in Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The common fiscal is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Common Fiscal
    (Lanius collaris)
    The common fiscal is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The red-backed shrike breeds across much of Europe and western Asia. It winters in Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Red-Backed Shrike
    (Lanius Lanius collurio)
    The red-backed shrike breeds across much of Europe and western Asia. It winters in Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The brown shrike is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, North and South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Brown Shrike
    (Lanius cristatus)
    The brown shrike is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, North and South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • In North America, the northern gray shrike breeds in Alaska and Canada. It winters in southern Canada and the northern half of the U.S. The northern gray shrike is found in New Hampshire, but it does not breed there. It is also found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Northern Gray Shrike
    (Lanius borealis)
    In North America, the northern gray shrike breeds in Alaska and Canada. It winters in southern Canada and the northern half of the U.S. The northern gray shrike is found in New Hampshire, but it does not breed there. It is also found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The gray-backed fiscal is found in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Gray-Backed Fiscal
    (Lanius excubitoroides)
    The gray-backed fiscal is found in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The rufous-tailed shrike breeds in Central Asia and winters in Africa, the Middle East, India, and Pakistan. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Rufous-Tailed Shrike
    (Lanius isabellinus)
    The rufous-tailed shrike breeds in Central Asia and winters in Africa, the Middle East, India, and Pakistan. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The loggerhead shrike breeds across most of the U.S. except for the Northeast, Alaska, and Hawaii. It is also found in Canada and Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Loggerhead Shrike
    (Lanius ludovicianus)
    The loggerhead shrike breeds across most of the U.S. except for the Northeast, Alaska, and Hawaii. It is also found in Canada and Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The magpie shrike is found in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Magpie Shrike
    (Lanius melanoleucus)
    The magpie shrike is found in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The lesser gray shrike breeds in southeastern and central Europe and southwestern Asia. It winters in Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Lesser Gray Shrike
    (Lanius minor)
    The lesser gray shrike breeds in southeastern and central Europe and southwestern Asia. It winters in Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The masked shrike breeds along the eastern Mediterranean from Greece to Israel as well as in Iraq, Iran, and Türkiye. It winters in Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Masked Shrike
    (Lanius nubicus)
    The masked shrike breeds along the eastern Mediterranean from Greece to Israel as well as in Iraq, Iran, and Türkiye. It winters in Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The long-tailed shrike is found in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Long-Tailed Shrike
    (Lanius schach)
    The long-tailed shrike is found in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The woodchat shrike breeds in southern Europe, the Middle East, and along the Mediterranean and Black Sea. It winters in Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Woodchat Shrike
    (Lanius senator)
    The woodchat shrike breeds in southern Europe, the Middle East, and along the Mediterranean and Black Sea. It winters in Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The gray-backed shrike is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Gray-Backed Shrike
    (Lanius tephronotus)
    The gray-backed shrike is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The tiger shrike is found in Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, North and South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Tiger Shrike
    (Lanius tigrinus)
    The tiger shrike is found in Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, North and South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The bay-backed shrike is found in Afghanistan, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, and Turkmenistan. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Bay-Backed Shrike
    (Lanius vittatus)
    The bay-backed shrike is found in Afghanistan, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, and Turkmenistan. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern

Did You Know?

The loggerhead shrike is one birds found in this family.
The loggerhead shrike is one birds found in this family.

World Status Key

Status and range is taken from IUCN Redlist

Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically Endangered
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct
Not Enough Data

U.S. Status Key

Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife

Threatened in US
Endangered in US
Introduced

NH Status Key

Status taken from NH Fish and Game

Threatened in NH
Endangered in NH
Breeds in NH (birds)

Location Key

Africa
Asia
Australia/Oceania
Europe
North/Central America
south america alt
South America

New Hampshire Species

No animals found.

Other Species Around the World

No animals found.

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