Great Grey Shrike: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Birds of Europe · day 3 of 7

Five facts

1. Its scientific name means sentinel butcher. It keeps watch from treetops and poles, and stores food on thorns.
2. It can also hunt from the air, hovering over grassland in one spot for up to 20 minutes.
3. Sneaky trick: it sometimes copies the calls of small songbirds to lure them closer.
4. Spare food goes into pantries called larders, usually about 1 m off the ground and often near the nest.
5. Neighbours hold noisy get-togethers that can last over an hour, full of chattering, calls and duets.

The quiz

1. What does the great grey shrike's scientific name mean?

• Grey king
• Sentinel butcher (correct)
• Silent hunter
• Thorn singer

Lanius means butcher and excubitor means sentinel.

2. How long can it hover over grassland while hunting?

• Up to 3 hours
• All night long
• Up to 20 minutes (correct)
• It never hovers

Its hovering bouts may last up to 20 minutes.

3. How does it sometimes lure small songbirds?

• By copying their calls (correct)
• By dropping seeds
• By flashing bright feathers
• By hiding in water

It mimics their calls to attract them.

4. Where are its food larders usually found?

• Buried underground
• On sea cliffs
• Floating in ponds
• About 1 m above the ground (correct)

Larders are typically around 1 m above ground, often near the nest.

5. How long can a shrike get-together last?

• A few seconds
• More than an hour (correct)
• Several weeks
• A whole season

These meet-ups can go on for over an hour.

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