AVITOPIA - Shrikes

The family of Shrikes is found in North America, Eurasia, and Africa. Some species are downright long-distance migrants. The body length ranges from 14 cm to 50 cm. They are slender birds with a long, narrow tail. The head is large with a strong beak with a hook at the tip and tomial teeth on the sides. They are good fliers and very aggressive. From a viewing point they pounce on insects, small reptiles, birds and mammals. They are known to impale their prey on a thorn. The nest is a bowl made of twigs, grass and leaves in a bush or tree.