Lesser Grey Shrike? (1 Viewer)

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barbartuk

Member

• Aug 6, 2005

• #1

I photographed this bird in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

It was perching over a river bank.

It is about sparrow size.

I have been adivised that it is probably an immature Lesser Grey Shrike, could you confirm this for me so that I can name the JPG file.

Thank you in anticipation.

Barbara B

 

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Jane Turner

Well-known member

• Aug 6, 2005

• #2

OK this is hard. The best way to ID Lesser Grey Shrike is by wing length. With it facing away that is hard to assess, thought to me it looks like it might be a short-winged bird.

The bill looks pale, and I can't recall LGS ever showng a pale bill - though I am sure someone will correct this if its not true.

I can see what appears to be a white scapular patch which would not be shown by LGS, making this bird most probably a Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis, possibly of the race pallidirostris

Now where was it taken???

 

JANJ

Well-known member

• Aug 6, 2005

• #3

It´s obviously taken in Saud Arabia, but when?
JanJ

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• Aug 6, 2005

• #4

I forgot to check where is was taken Jan when I opened the pic!

 

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sphinx79

Well-known member

• Aug 6, 2005

• #5

I'd guess it's a juvenile/first-winter pallidirostris on account of the pale bill. I seem to recall that adult plumage, which includes an all-dark bill, is acquired during the winter moult. So perhaps the picture was taken during the autumn or early winter (or else very recently - I guess it could be a juvenile, though you'd expect to see more barring on the underparts at that age).

Rgds

Greg

 

JANJ

Well-known member

• Aug 7, 2005

• #6

As far as I know, the southern Grey Shrike (meridionalis group) and pallidirostris adults juveniles and 1s winters don´t have barring on the underparts. It looks a bit to "tatty" to be a juvenile. As McIvor mention, the bill looks pale enough, but is it really the median coverts that are that white tipped? Legs looks strong, and it would be a blessing if barbartuk would come up with another image where we get to see some more, and a date!
http://www.alsirhan.com/Birds/Steppe_Grey_Shrike.htm
http://ddkkk.1g.fi/lanius/pallidirostris.htm
http://www.birdfoto.fsnet.co.uk/greyshrike/focusonshrikes.html
http://www.sofnet.org/index.asp?lev=1775&typ=1
http://www.kentos.org.uk/Photographs/04SteppeGreyShrike.htm
http://www.warbler.phytoconsult.nl/uae/grgr_shr.htm
http://www.wildbirdgallery.com/images/birds/lanius_meridionalis/pallidirostris.htm
http://www.birdsoman.com/SteppeGreyShrike.htm
JanJ

 

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barbartuk

Member

• Aug 7, 2005

• #7

Thanks for your efforts everyone.

It was taken last week and my hubby says that he thinks that it was bigger than the 'sparrow size' that I advised you.

Most of the pics that I took are very similar so I don't know whether this second picture will help. I hope so.

Barbara

 

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B

barbartuk

Member

• Aug 7, 2005

• #8

Sorry.....I attached the wrong picture.

This one may be more help.

Barbara

 

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Jane Turner

Well-known member

• Aug 7, 2005

• #9

That helps loads. Short primaries, long tail make it one of the Great Grey Shrikes.

What I thought was white scaps was indeed white median covert bases (possibly the layer of coverts above them in pin) when the newly growing feathers are still sheathed. The bird does however have a pale scapular patch (clearly I am psychic) so together with the pale bill, this has to be a Southern Grey Shrike of the Steppe race, pallidrostris.

Aging it is more interesting - I'm guessing it has to be juv going to 1st winter to have all those coverts growing, that said the lores are very, very dark for a pallidirostris, so eiher auchteri can have a pale bill or pallidirostris can have dark lores!

 

Last edited: Aug 7, 2005

Gashead

Well-known member

• Aug 7, 2005

• #10

The mask isn't wide enough for a lesser.

 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• Aug 7, 2005

• #11

Gashead said:

The mask isn't wide enough for a lesser.

Click to expand...

It's wide enough for a juvenile Lesser Grey Shrike, although that's not what it is as others have pointed out.

 

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barbartuk

Member

• Aug 7, 2005

• #12

Jane. I think that I can now confidently name this bird the "Southern Grey Shrike".

It is only my first thread, but already I am learning from you all.

My sincere thanks to everybody who has taken their time to help me identify this bird.


Barbara