27/09/2026
Shrikes are a unique family of carnivorous songbirds.
Hunting prey such as beetles, lizards, voles and other songbirds, these thrush sized birds are remarkable predators but it's what they do with their prey that makes them so fascinating.
Sometimes, Shrikes will eat their prey immediately, especially smaller prey such as insects. However, larger prey are usually stored away in a favoured area within their territory known as a larder. Here they save their catch for later by impaling them on spikes and thorns!
While this ensures they have a constant food supply, the volume of prey they catch and store increases around the breeding season indicating that it's also used to compete with other males when attracting a female.
Although uncommon and non-resident here in the UK, several Shrike species have been recorded over the years. The most common being the Great Grey Shrike which is an an annual winter visitor from mainland Europe. Other less common European visitors include the Red-backed Shrike and Woodchat Shrike. Rare vagrants from much further afield in Asia include the Brown Shrike and most recently the Long-tailed Shrike (pictured here).
📷 Charlotte O'Shea
