Appearance:

In all plumages told from Great Grey Shrike L. excubitor by very long primary projection, stout bill, large rectangular wing patch and extended white at base of tail. Tertials without white edge. Adult birds with black forehead (more extended in male and often speckled grey in female), and a pink wash to underparts (especially male). Immatures lack the black forehead and wing coverts have pale fringes.

Sound:

Contact call a series of Magpie-like "che-che-che". Two very different types of territorial song: Most diagnostic is the short song which consists of a single, parakeet-like "irtscha". Like in a sneeze, with rapidly rising and falling pitch. Given monosyllabic, disyllabic or in series. Other song type very varied with lots of mimicry of other birds and mammals. Similar to Woodchat Shrike but usually also includes the call from the short song. The varied song is more subdued in mated males.

Short song:

Varied song:

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

Appearance:

Easy to identify when seen in mountainous habitat where Rock Pipit does not occur, but harder when occasionally seen at the coast where both species may be present. Told from Rock Pipit by: Contrasting, double wing-bars, unstreaked belly (and only modestly streaked flanks), brownish rump, broad supercilium, paler underwing and pure white outer tail feathers. Summer plumage with more strongly coloured buff or pinkish underparts and greyer upperparts, but difficult to identify when plumage worn.

Sound:

Similar to Rock Pipit. Song slightly more melodious, often with Tree Pipit like glissandi at end of phrase. Contact call sharper and more drawn.

Song:

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

CC-photo:Betty van Middelkoop, Licence,Link.

CC-sound:Jarek Matusiak, Licence,Link.