Shrikes of the World (Helm Identification Guides)

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Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 219. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4. For the British birder, where every shrike species is sadly now at least a scarcity and some are extreme rarities, their allure is all the more intense. Each one tends to be a popular fixture, and their often-confident nature means they can be highly photogenic, as well as entertaining to watch. For example, many birders will point to the famous Steppe Grey Shrike in north Lincolnshire in November 2008, which used to perch on the gathered crowd’s cameras and telescopes, as one of their most memorable birding encounters on home shores. The identification of minor is not straightforward though it shows on average more well-streaked breast-sides and flanks than comminutus. However, these features are subject to variation. Biometrics are useful, minor being larger and longer-winged than comminutus. Atkinson, Eric C. (1997). "Singing for Your Supper: Acoustical Luring of Avian Prey by Northern Shrikes". The Condor. Oxford University Press (OUP). 99 (1): 203–206. doi: 10.2307/1370239. ISSN 0010-5422. Sadly, the population changes section makes for sobering reading. Being relatively large passerines that require a good supply of prey, as well as expansive areas of suitable habitat (usually undisturbed rough ground or scrub), they have suffered greatly as humans have modified and 'tidied up' landscapes. The species accounts further reference a wealth of data and research on this, with the particularly well-studied European and North American species presenting some alarming declines in the face of human-induced pressures, from habitat loss to climate change.

Shrikes of the World by Norbert Lefranc, Tim Worfolk Shrikes of the World by Norbert Lefranc, Tim Worfolk

French, P.R. 2009. From the Rarities Committee’s files: Identification of Dark-breasted Barn Owl in Britain. British Birds 102: 494-503. Nominate apus is a very common breeder in Britain. The subspecies pekinensis is not on the British List although it is a potential vagrant and has occasionally been suspected (Kehoe 2006).

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Coal Tit comprises a very large number of subspecies across the whole width of the Palearctic. Only three are of relevance here, however. The subspecies britannicus (‘British Coal Tit’) is endemic to Britain and north-east Ireland, nominate ater (‘Continental Coal Tit’) breeds right across Europe and Asia and hibernicus (‘Irish Coal Tit’) breeds in Ireland except in the north-east where it intergrades with britannicus (Cramp et al. 1993). 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. Older, locally published records will not be reviewed unless this is specifically requested and photographs are available. We urge observers to submit further evidence of apparently normal alba rearing guttata-like young so that we can better understand this phenomenon in Britain. ( updated Dec 2017 AMS).

Shrikes of the World | BTO - British Trust for Ornithology

Merlin comprises nine subspecies, of which four are of most relevance here. In the Palearctic aesalon breeds across northern Europe to western Siberia, subaesalon in Iceland and pallidus (‘Steppe Merlin’) in northern Kazakhstan and south-west Siberia. In North America, nominate columbarius (‘Taiga Merlin’) breeds across the north of the continent. The splitting of Palearctic and Nearctic Merlins has been proposed.Claims of pinetorum should be accompanied by biometrics. Details of a ringed bird would of course provide additional evidence. ( updated Dec 2017 AMS).

Shrikes of the World (Helm Identification Guides) - Goodreads

Ahmed, R. & Adriaens, P. 2010. Common, Asian Common and Pallid Swift: colour, nomenclature, moult and identification. Dutch Birding 32: 97-105. They inhabit open habitats, especially steppe and savannah. A few species of shrikes are forest dwellers, seldom occurring in open habitats. Some species breed in northern latitudes during the summer, then migrate to warmer climes for the winter.

A Guide to the Shrikes of the World

a b Clancey, P.A. (1991). Forshaw, Joseph (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds. London: Merehurst Press. p.180. ISBN 1-85391-186-0. And so, the publication of the latest in the Helm Identification Guides series will no doubt be of great interest to many. Shrikes of the World, by French ornithologist Norbert Lefranc and acclaimed artist Tim Worfolk, is in fact a fully updated version of Shrikes, their seminal work published in 1997. Wernham, C., Toms, M., Marchant, J., Clark, J., Siriwardena, G. & Baillie, S. (eds). 2002. The Migration Atlas: Movements of the Birds of Britain and Ireland. T. & A. D. Poyser, London. Shrikes vocally imitate their prey to lure them for capture. [14] In 1575, this was noted by the English poet George Turberville. Golawski, A.; Mroz, E.; Golawska, S. (2020). "The function of food storing in shrikes: the importance of larders for the condition of females and during inclement weather". The European Zoological Journal. 87 (1): 282–293. doi: 10.1080/24750263.2020.1769208. ISSN 2475-0263.

Shrikes - Yale University Press Shrikes - Yale University Press

The subspecies soemmerringii is therefore clearly a potential vagrant and may already be occurring. However, variation within monedula and intergradation between monedula and soemmerringii make confident diagnosis of the latter in a vagrant context problematic. A subspecies unique to California's Channel Islands, the San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike, has been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1977 and has been the subject of intensive management, including predator control and captive breeding. American Bird Conservancy and our Joint Venture partners have improved conservation management on 6.4 million acres of U.S. bird habitat — an area larger than the state of Maryland — over the last ten years. This is a monumental undertaking, requiring the support of many, and you can help by making a gift today. Crested Tit comprises seven subspecies, of which four are of possible relevance here. The subspecies scoticus occurs in north-central Scotland, nominate cristatus (‘Northern Crested Tit’) in Scandinavia, eastern Europe and Russia, mitratus (‘Central European Crested Tit’) in central and western Europe and abadiei in north-west France (Cramp et al. 1993).Parkin, D. T. & Knox, A. G. 2010. The Status of Birds in Britain and Ireland. Christopher Helm, London. The subspecies scoticus breeds in a restricted area of north-central Scotland. In addition , cristatus and mitratus are on the British List, the former in relation to a bird in North Yorkshire in March 1872, the latter in relation to a bird on the Isle of Wight ‘prior to 1844’. The remaining English records (about ten in all and mostly from the nineteenth century) were not attributed to subspecies but were presumably continental in origin (Scottish birds have not been recorded south of the Central Belt). The identification of hibernicus is problematic, however. The subspecies is characterised by a yellow suffusion to the face and nape but not all birds show this. The situation is further complicated by intergradation with britannicus in north-east Ireland and by variation within this latter subspecies. Notably, some Welsh birds show characters suggesting hibernicus (Cramp et al. 1993). The subspecies kleinschmidti is a declining breeder in Britain. Otherwise only borealis is on the British List with two accepted records (in Gloucestershire in March 1907 and in Yorkshire in February 1975). The 1907 record was reviewed by BOURC in 2009 and remains accepted (BOURC 38 th Report). There are a number of other British claims (e.g. Brown & Grice 2005) but they appear not to have been submitted to BBRC despite a request for records ( British Birds 77:123). The subspecies rhenanus is said to be largely sedentary and is probably an unlikely vagrant.