Lanius collurio - red-backed shrike

	DISSEMINATION

Geographic Range	it nests in all Europe, except northern areas, in many Mediterranean islands, Asia, Africa and Middle East.
Physical Characteristics	it is slightly bigger than a sparrow. The male is easily recognizable for its striking. It has grey-blue head, black mask, light brown back, black tail with white bands. The lower part of the body is salmon rose and the beak is dark. The female and male not mature yet don’t have the mask and are brown coloured; the young have bands on the back.
Behaviour	when hunting it stays in places that allow a wide view. It hunts in different manners: it quickly swoops on cockroachs but it also follows the flying insects. It preys also upon small birds, mammals, lizards and frogs that are killed with the beak. It often spits preys on thorns and these will be the food supply for the difficult seasons.
Habitat	it lives on bushes, where it builds the nest, hedges and small wood.
Migration	in winter it migrates toward tropical and southern Africa and north-west India.
Nidification	it builds the nest with plant stems, roots and grass. The nest is lined with moss and hairs and it is positioned in the lower part of thorny bushes.
Reproduction	it lays 3-6 eggs each year, among late May and late July, in one clutch.

Sources
References	Avibase - Il database degli uccelli del mondo ARKive - images of life on Earth
Web References	http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/ http://www.arkive.org/
Source of the photo	http://www.birdforum.net/
Source of the call	http://www.birdforum.net/
Source of the video	http://www.hbw.com/ibc/