opisska
rabid twitcher
Since IOC recognizes the Red-tailed (or Turkestan) Shrike as split from Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike, we tried to hunt for some. There is an extensive paper about the identification of these shrikes - see https://www.dutchbirding.nl/journal/pdf/DB_2000_22_6.pdf from which I understand that most shrikes we saw in Kuwait were Daurian ssp. arenarius - the obvious interruption of the dark mask with the paler lores makes their identification rather clear.
However the same material shows that just seeing the whole mask isn't enough, because that could mean both phoenicuroides (Turkestan) and isabellinus (Daurian) and both can be present in Kuwait. As birds 1 and 2 I present the best "black-masked" shrikes we found in Kuwait. In particular if 1 isn't a Turkestan, I would consider the recent reports of this species from Jahra pools dubious, because I think we essentially studied all the shrikes in the reserve, some of them repeatedly. The second bird is less prominent and from afar.
The last bird is just puzzling in a different way - is it a particularly rufous Red-backed juvenile?
However the same material shows that just seeing the whole mask isn't enough, because that could mean both phoenicuroides (Turkestan) and isabellinus (Daurian) and both can be present in Kuwait. As birds 1 and 2 I present the best "black-masked" shrikes we found in Kuwait. In particular if 1 isn't a Turkestan, I would consider the recent reports of this species from Jahra pools dubious, because I think we essentially studied all the shrikes in the reserve, some of them repeatedly. The second bird is less prominent and from afar.
The last bird is just puzzling in a different way - is it a particularly rufous Red-backed juvenile?