Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown Shrike
Lanius cristatus
Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) is a member of the Laniidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 32.2 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 cristatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 32.2 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 Brown Shrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Brown Shrike is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) is a species of bird in the Laniidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL c, e Russia, Mongolia, e China to Japan.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 32.2 g, with a wing length of about 8.5 cm and a tail of around 8 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 14.1 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown Shrike?
The Brown Shrike is a small bird that weighs around 32.2 g.
Where does the Brown Shrike live?
The Brown Shrike is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL c, e Russia, Mongolia, e China to Japan, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Brown Shrike belong to?
The Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) belongs to the Laniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown Shrike eat?
The Brown Shrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Brown Shrike migrate?
The Brown Shrike is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Brown 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 Brown Shrike make?
1 real field recording of the Brown 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 Brown Shrike's range?
The Brown Shrike has a mapped global range of about 14.1 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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Guides for this bird
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