Bird watching in Africa - Grey-backed Fiscal, Lanius excubitoroides

Length: 25 cm
Wingspan:
Weight:
Longevity:
Distinctive Feature •
Similar Species • Very similar to Great Grey Shrike From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.
Female / Male • From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.

The Grey-backed Fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides) is a species of bird in the family Laniidae. It is found in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.

Range map from www.oiseaux.net - Ornithological Portal Oiseaux.net

www.oiseaux.net is one of those MUST visit pages if you're in to bird watching. You can find just about everything there

Description
This is a large shrike with a length of about 25 cm. The head of the male has a grey crown, a white supercilium and a large black mask. The upper parts are medium grey, the rump is white, the wings are blackish, with a white patch which is conspicuous in flight, and the long tail has a white base and a black tip.

The underparts and base of the underside of the tail are white. The female is similar but has patches of chestnut on the flanks that are visible during display and when the bird is preening. The juvenile is brownish with brown wings and tail and is heavily barred with grey.

Length: 25 cm

Wingspan:

Weight:

Longevity:

Distinctive Feature

•

Similar Species

• Very similar to Great Grey Shrike

From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.

Female / Male

•

From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.

Ecology
The grey-backed fiscal is a sociable bird and is often found in wooded grassland, gardens and damp acacia scrub. It is often seen in pairs or small groups on tree stumps, wires and branches, engaged in wing fluttering, tail waving and noisy babble. It is a gregarious, cooperative breeder.

Nests are built up to 10 m off the ground, near the trunk of the tree or on peripheral branches. The female builds the nest while the male may bring nesting materials and food for the female. A clutch of about four eggs is laid. Incubation is by the female and lasts about fourteen days, with the young remaining in the nest for a further twenty days.

Status
The grey-backed fiscal has a wide range and a large total population. It is a common bird and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Listen to the Grey-backed Fiscal

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Natural vocalization; calls from one of a pair perched on top of a large tree along a dense but narrow riparian corridor, with more musical calls given as a third bird flew in.

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Natural vocalization; song? from four birds interacting near the top of a tall bush along the brushy margin of a field.

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia