Photo: Rejoice Gassah / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey-backed Shrike
Lanius tephronotus
Grey-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus) is a member of the Laniidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 46.4 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 tephronotus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 46.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Laniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey-backed Shrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Grey-backed Shrike is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Grey-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus) is a member of the Laniidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL Himalayas, c China.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 46.4 g, with a wing length of about 9.9 cm and a tail of around 10.9 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 1.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey-backed Shrike?
The Grey-backed Shrike is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 46.4 g.
Where does the Grey-backed Shrike live?
The Grey-backed Shrike is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL Himalayas, c China, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Grey-backed Shrike belong to?
The Grey-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus) belongs to the Laniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Grey-backed Shrike eat?
The Grey-backed Shrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Grey-backed Shrike migrate?
The Grey-backed Shrike is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Grey-backed 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 Grey-backed Shrike make?
1 real field recording of the Grey-backed Shrike — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Grey-backed Shrike's range?
The Grey-backed Shrike has a mapped global range of about 1.4 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.
Explore more birds
More in Laniidae
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.