Brown shrikes are indeed the
most common migratory garden varieties that we often see in Malaysia. They are
very vocal, so its easy to find them out there. They are available in Malaysia
from September to May; however, some have been recorded arriving late and stay
longer.
Its scientific name is Lanius
cristatus; “Lanius” means “butcher”, whereas “cristatus” means “crest”,
which is used in a broader manner than English. Its English name derived from
the word “shriek”, which indicates its call. In Tamil its called as “Pazhuppu
Keechaan” (பழுப்பு கீச்சான்), where “Pazhuppu” means brown, “Keechan” means shrieking bird.
There are 4 subspecies of Brown Shrikes have been seen in
Malaysia:
·
L.
c. cristatus (Siberian
Brown Shrike)
·
L.
c. confusus (Amur
Brown Shrike)
·
L.
c. superciliosus (Japanese
Brown Shrike)
·
L.
c. lucionensis (Philippine
Shrike).
|
|
L. c.
cristatus
|
L. c.
confusus
|
L.c.
superciliosus
|
L. c.
lucionensis
|
|
Breeding Region
|
Eastern Siberia – Mongolia
|
Manchuria – Amur land
|
South Sakhalin – Japan (Hokkaido to
Central Honshu)
|
Korea – East China
|
|
Wintering Region
|
India - Peninsular Malaysia.
|
India, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia
and Sumatra.
|
SE Yunnan, Hainan and China, south to
Indochina and the Great Sunda Islands (Sumatra to Flores)
|
SE China, Philippines, N Borneo and
Sulawesi, as well as in Andaman and Nicobar Island.
|
1. Siberian Brown Shrike (L.c.cristatus)
The nominate race, L.
c. cristatus is much robust with a larger head. The bill is more
hooked. Wings are much shorter and rounded compared to other races. Tail is
longer, narrow, and more graduated. Adult male has brown upperpart, with
rusty brown crown and rump, with a brown tail. The flanks are chestnut washed. The
supercilium is white (much homogenous in thickness) and well defined. Wings are
brown; tertials and wing coverts are fringed with buff. Bill is black, but the
base appears paler (pinkish) during winters.
As for the female of cristatus
race, looks like similar to the males, except, has dark brown eye stripe and a
paler lore. It has strong crescentic on its underparts and malar area. Field
observation (Nov 2020) also revealed that there were even cristatus females
with less crescentic markings and looks like a male, except for their dark
brown eye stripe, lack the rusty brown crown and rump. In some cases, the male
and females can be distinguished by behavioral details during breeding, due to
their very similar plumage.
First winter cristatus has warm brown
upperpart and crown is often rufous, flank chestnut washed, crescentic barring
on crown, flanks and upper tail coverts. Ear coverts are dark
brown. First winter juveniles are similar to the first winter cristatus,
but has barring on the wing coverts.
2. Amur Brown Shrike (L.c. confusus)
The
L. c. confusus race, is similar to the cristatus race, yet with
homogenously colored upperpart. The wing primaries are much longer and it has a
white patch on the base of its primaries. Adult male is similar to male
cristatus, except it has a homogenous ashy brown upperpart, much distributed
greyish white forehead (which is not well demarcated from its crown). The
supercilium is white or greyish white much broader, especially at the region
above the eyes. At times, the supercilium appears greyish, not well defined and
merge with the crown.
Females are similar to males with strong
crescentic barring one its underparts and malar area. Note that some females do
have less barring, and has very much similar appearance as males.
First
winter confusus race resembles the L.c. cristatus, except upperpart is
homogenous ashy brown. 1st calendar female has barring on the malar area.
3. Japanese Brown Shrike (L. c. superciliosus)
The
race superciliosus, L. c. superciliosus, as the name implies, is
identified with its broad, uniform white supercilium and forehead. Adult
male has a rich reddish-brown upperpart, with crown and rump appears much
brighter. Some comes with
cleaner underparts; chestnut washed flanks. Longer bill and more attenuated.
Tail is redder with white tip.
As for female, upperpart is similar to
males with paler lore and much brownish eye stripe. Less crescentic barring on
the flanks, no barring on the malar area.
The
first winter confusus is similar to L. c. cristatus, but with much
rufous upperpart (especially crown and mantle). Pale forehead. Buff underpart
with strong crescentic barring, and a brown tail. Juvenile females of
confusus are similar to the adult females, with strong barring on the
underparts and malar area.
4. Philippine Shrike (L. c. lucionensis)
The
lucionensis race, L. c. lucionensis, is typically distinguished
from other races by its greyish crown. Adult male is similar to other
brown shrikes, except for supercilium and crown are greyish. Rump and upper tail
coverts are chestnut; tail is brownish. Bill is black, but the base will be
paler during winter. Small white patch on the base of the primaries.
Female
of lucionensis
is similar to male, with strong crescentic barring on underparts and malar area.
Eye stripe is brown, less solid black on the lore. Pale lower mandible.
First
winter lucionensis is also very similar to L. c. cristatus, but crown is
grey (paler towards forehead). Mantle is greyish brown or brown.
Status and Distribution:
Occurs in Peninsular
Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, between September and May. Some do overstay since some Brown Shrikes are seen out of its wintering periods here*. [There
not much known on the conservation status of the Brown Shrikes. The race
superciliosus and lucionensis had declined by 80% in Hokkaido (Japan); causes
were unknown. This may cause by habitat destruction (due to increase of
agricultural land), pesticides and fires. Brown shrikes are not globally
threatened and there is a little information available for its population
level. Population is in declining trend (Birdlife Datazone) and yet classified
as “Least Concern” by IUCN.
(* Terence Ang, July 2019, Sekinchan, Selangor; Ang Teck Hin, June 27.06.2022, Batang Tiga Rice Field, Malacca)
Confusion
Species:
Isabelline
Shrike: Isabelline
Shrike lacks the white supercilium of the brown shrikes. Adult male has
a black eye stripe, reddish tail and pale patch on the base of its primaries.
These attributes are enough to distinguish an adult male Isabelline race from
the brown shrikes on the field. Females are similar to males, with paler
eye stripes (brownish instead of black) and has crescentic barring on the
underparts and malar area. Females’ rump and tail are reddish brown, not as
bright as the males. First winter Isabelline Shrikes are similar to the female,
yet much paler and with very weak barring on the underparts.
Red
Backed Shrike: Red
Backed Shrikes have shorter tail and longer wings. Eight primaries are visible
when its wings are closed. Adult male has grey crown, mantle and rump,
with a reddish-brown back and wings. The underpart is white with a peach washed
flanks. Tail is black with a thin white tip. Female shrikes similar to
male but with paler plumage. Underparts are strongly barred. Upper tails are
rufous and lower tail is grey. The juvenile shrikes are strongly barred
than any other races, with a chestnut upperparts and paler underparts. This
race has much tendency of confusion against the lucionensis race (as for the
adult birds).
Since the Isabelline and Red Backed Shrikes are not been recorded in Malaysia, therefore we don't have to consider them both as a confusion species locally at the moment.
Tiger
Shrike: Even if for the
greyish crown and nape, which resembles a male lucionensis, the male
Tiger Shrike can be distinguished by barred brown wings. Female shrikes
are similar to males with much brownish and less grey on the crown and nape.
Lores are whitish. Some comes with short buff eyebrows. Underparts are
buff-white with strong barring on the belly and flank. Juveniles are
paler with heavy barring on the brown tinged grey crown, wings, rumps, face and
underparts. It lacks the eye-stripe too.
Behavior:
Most
solitary in nature, except know to migrate with 2 to 3 birds together.
Available in Malaysia between September and May. Very territorial with a small
feeding territory. Calls are heard even as early as 6.30am and up to 7.30pm
from their roosting point. Hunts from a vantage point, can be just a meter away
from the ground or as high as 5 meters. The shrike lunges on its prey to the
ground and goes back to its perch. Such lunging act may had given its Malay
name as “tirjup” which could have been derived from the word “terjun”, which
literally describe that lunging act. Never seen hawking or gleaning for prey.
Its preys on insects, invertebrates and small vertebrates such as small frogs,
lizards, even smaller birds. It has been mentioned that preys are impaled and
teared before consuming. This behavior had given the shrikes another name as the
“butcher bird”. It gives out a series of loud, harsh calls, which often longer
in first 4 to 5 tones and gets shorter as it ends. It also gives a low volume
series of chirping calls while waiting for the prey from its perch.
Habitat:
Forest
edges, cleared lands, orchards, open grasslands with scattered shrubs and
trees, parks and cultivated lands. Often seen perching on fences and
utility cables.
Breeding:
Breeding is much
later in high altitude breeding regions. Usually between June – August. Due to
lack of obvious sexual dimorphism, mate attraction seems to be on “trial and
error” base, where it is possible for unmated males to court each
other and other shrike (which may be the reason for the occurrence of hybrids).
Males will be on flight displays and land next to its potential mate, with
bills erected upwards, turning the head side to side. If its mate performs the
same display, it is a male shrike. Nesting site is selected by the males, build
by both male and female. The cup shaped nest is made with grass stems, mosses,
small twigs, feathers and roots. Usually 4 to 6 eggs (yellowish brown with
brown spots) are laid, incubated for 15days. Nestlings will fledge in 2 weeks.
References:
1. Craig Robson, 2017, A Field Guide To
The Birds of South East Asia, Bloomsbury, London.
2. Tim Worflok, 2002, Identification of
Red Backed, Isabelline and Brown Shrikes, Vol 2, Dutch Birding.
 |
A male L. c. cristatus, with a bright crown and a well defined supercilium.
Location: Selangor |
 |
A female L. c. cristatus, which reddish crown and barred underparts and malar area.
Location: Selangor |
 |
A first winter juvenile of L. c. cristatus, with barred, reddish crown, barred wing coverts and underparts. Bill is heavier and hooked.
Location: Selangor |
 |
A male L. c. confusus, with a broad white forehead (not well demarcated from the crown, and tinged with grey), supercilium is broader above the eye, and the upperpart plumage is homogenously brown.
Location: Selangor. |
 |
A female L. c. cristatus with pale lore, dark brown ear coverts, redder crown and rump, and barred flank and malar area. Location: Selangor.
|
 |
A first winter L. c. cristatus, with barred reddish brown crown, and barred underparts.
Location: Selangor |
