Species:

Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)

Great Tit (Parus major)

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Length (cm):
24-25
14-14
Wingspan (cm):
30-35
22-25
Weight (gram):
48-81
14-22
Size group:
Thrush-size
Sparrow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Light grey upperparts, black wings and tail with white patches, white underparts and throat. Broad, black eyestripe not reaching above highest point of bill. Bill long and medium heavy (not as heavy as in Lesser GS). White patch at base of primaries varies according to subspecies. Black part of tail most narrow at base. Juveniles less pure in colour, with faintly barred underparts and buff fringes to greater coverts.

Sound:

Alarm call very harsh, nasal and noisy. Dry and not as deep or resonant as crows. Song varied. During breeding season a varied subdued song is heard from both sexes. Territorial call before breeding starts is simple, loud and resonant. Consisting of pleasant sounding single or double syllables, with well defined pauses and peculiar harmonics.

Territorial call/song:

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Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Sounds:Recorded by Jarek Matusiak,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license

Appearance:

Combination of striking black and white head and yellow underparts makes it rather unmistakable. Back greenish, tail and wings bluish. Outer tail feathers white. Sexes alike except for wider black belly-stripe in males. Biggest tit.

Sound:

Song highly variable, but usually consisting of two to three notes repeated in a motif. Same birds have many different motifs but generally repeat them many times before switching. Identified by its timbre and often metallic resonant quality, more than by actual phrasing (which is very variable). Often includes buzzing sounds in song. Generally more full-bodied and resonant calls than blue tit, and not so high-pitched. Characteristic Chaffinch-like "tink tink tink" often uttered by male.

Song:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Silhouette Group:
Thrush-like
Silhouette
Tit-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
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Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file