Long-tailed Shrike ★ Sabyasachi - A Progressive Thought

Long-tailed Shrike

Photos Information

Byatarayana Doddi Kere,Karnataka

Picture taken: February, 2026

Picture taken: February, 2026

Note: Bird migrations and movements can have exceptions due to specific reasons and may change from day to day. Here, I will provide general or generic information on the topic. This information is intended to educate bird enthusiasts by providing fundamental knowledge about Indian birds.

Information of Long-tailed Shrike

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature):

Least Concern (LC)

Approximate size(adult):

24–26 cm in length; a medium-sized shrike with a distinctive long, narrow tail, black facial mask and rufous-brown back and flanks.

Resident/ Migrate from:

Resident and within-India migrant in India. Populations in temperate parts of Asia are partly migratory, while tropical populations are generally more sedentary.

Migrate to:

Migratory populations move southward to lower elevations and warmer regions during the non-breeding season; movements vary among subspecies and regions.

Breeding season:

Mainly May–July in the northern part of its range; breeding timing varies geographically.

Breed in:

Open country, scrub, grassland, cultivated areas and forest edges, generally where bushes or small trees provide suitable nesting sites and hunting perches.

Habitat:

Open scrub, grassland, agricultural land, plantations and forest edges; commonly uses bushes, fences and wires as hunting perches.

Diet:

Mainly insects and other invertebrates, especially beetles, grasshoppers and other large insects; also takes small vertebrates such as lizards, frogs and small birds when available.