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22

Iberian Grey Shrike

(Lanius meridionalis)
German name(s): "Mittelmeer-Raubwürger"
Size: 24-25 cm; wing span 30-34 cm
Weight: 50-80 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Iberian Grey Shrike at Wikipedia .

Click here for classification information

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a resting male Iberian Grey Shrike; note the black lores (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2014]

Frontal view of a male Iberian Grey Shrike; note the characteristic pinkish hue (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2018]

Near-frontal view of a male Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, November 2021]

Lateral view of a male Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2018]

Lateral view of a male Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, December 2018]

Lateral view of a male Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, September 2018]

Lateral view of a male Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2020]

Lateral view of a male(?) Iberian Grey Shrike still wet from having a bath
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a male Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a male Iberian Grey Shrike calling from a high perch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, January 2018]

Dorsal view of a male Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, November 2021]

FEMALE

Near-lateral view of a female(?) Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Lateral view of a female Iberian Grey Shrike; note the grey lores (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, December 2018]

Lateral view of a female(?) Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of a female(?) Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2021]

Lateral view of a female(?) Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2021]

Close-up lateral/ventral view of a female Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2014]

PAIR

Pair of Iberian Grey Shrikes in a dead tree top, male on the left (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, December 2018]

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of an Iberian Grey Shrike calling from a high perch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2021]

Near-lateral view of an Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of an Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of an Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2019]

Near-lateral view of an Iberian Grey Shrike; note the characteristic pinkish hue (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2016]

Lateral view of a soaking wet Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2014]

Near-dorsal view of an Iberian Grey Shrike (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2021]

Dorsal view of an Iberian Grey Shrike in low flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Iberian Grey Shrike; note the faint facial mask and the pale coverts bar on the wing (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile Iberian Grey Shrike; note the faint facial mask (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Behaviour

Just like other shrikes of the genus Lanius, Iberian Grey Shrikes are known to spike their prey on thorns for future consumption.

Territorial dispute - Iberian Grey Shrike letting an Iberian Magpie know who is the boss (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

ibgshrk_jp_20200101.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls? © JP
ibgshrk_jp_20200329.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls? © JP
ibgshrk_jp_20200408_2.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls? © JP
ibgshrk_jp_20200408.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls? © JP
ibgshrk_jp_20190614.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls? © JP
ibgshrk_jp_20190528.m4a (Portugal) ? © JP
ibgshrk_jp_20190616.m4a (Portugal) ? © JP

More Iberian Grey Shrike sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.