TBOSG     Woodchat Shrike - Lanius senator

Woodchat Shrike breeds in southern Europe, the Middle East and northwest Africa and winters in tropical Africa. It preferred habitat is open cultivated country with orchard trees and some bare or sandy ground. This migratory medium-sized passerine eats large insects, small birds, voles and lizards and like other shrikes it hunts from prominent perches and impales corpses on thorns or barbed wire as a 'larder'. The male is a striking bird with black and white plumage and a chestnut crown. The race Lanius senator badius of the western Mediterranean lacks the large white wing patches.

Earliest: April 22nd 1994 at Thornbury.

Latest: July 23rd 1989 at Marshfield.

Highest Count: One on all dates.

There have been two Woodchat Shrike reported from S. Gloucestershire, they are;

1994: (1)

On April 22nd an adult was identified near Morton Farm, Thornbury.

1989: (1)

On July 23rd a worn adult female was identified in fields north of Rushmead Lane near Marshfield. Present for just one day it had departed overnight and was not seen subsequently. (ST: 783 753). This occurrence constitutes the first report of this species in S. Gloucestershire.

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