Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Souza’s Shrike
Lanius souzae
Souza's Shrike (Lanius souzae) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Souza’s Shrike (Lanius souzae) is a member of the Laniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 26.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Laniidae Shrikes
- Genus Lanius
- Species souzae
Quick facts
- Weight
- 26.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Laniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Souza’s Shrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Souza’s Shrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Souza’s Shrike (Lanius souzae) is a member of the Laniidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF c.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 26.3 g, with a wing length of about 8.2 cm and a tail of around 8.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Souza’s Shrike?
The Souza’s Shrike is a small bird that weighs around 26.3 g.
Where does the Souza’s Shrike live?
The Souza’s Shrike is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Souza’s Shrike belong to?
The Souza’s Shrike (Lanius souzae) belongs to the Laniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Souza’s Shrike eat?
The Souza’s Shrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Souza’s Shrike migrate?
The Souza’s Shrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Souza’s Shrike endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Souza’s Shrike make?
1 real field recording of the Souza’s Shrike — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Souza’s Shrike's range?
The Souza’s Shrike has a mapped global range of about 1.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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