Fine Art

Indian Great Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis lahtora) Photograph by Shantanu Kuveskar

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Subsectio: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Infraclassis: Aves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Parvordo: Corvida
Superfamilia: Corvoidea

Familia: Laniidae
Genus: Lanius
Species: Lanius meridionalis
Name

Lanius meridionalis Temminck, 1820
Synonyms

Lanius excubitor meridionalis

References

Manuel d'ornithologie ed.2 1: 143

Vernacular names
العربية: دقناش رمادي جنوبي
català: Botxí meridional
čeština: Ťuhýk pustinný
dansk: Sydlig Stor Tornskade
Deutsch: Südlicher Raubwürger
English: Iberian Grey Shrike
Esperanto: Sudgranda lanio
español: Alcaudón real
euskara: Antzandobi handia
فارسی: سنگ‌چشم خاکستری جنوبی
suomi: Etelänisolepinkäinen
français: Pie-grièche méridionale
galego: Picanzo real meridional
íslenska: Steppusvarri
italiano: Averla meridionale
日本語: ミナミオオモズ
Nederlands: Zuidelijke klapekster
norsk: Krattvarsler
polski: Dzierzba śródziemnomorska
português: Picanço-real
русский: Средиземноморский сорокопут
slovenčina: Strakoš prieložný
svenska: Sydlig varfågel
Türkçe: Bozkır örümcek kuşu
Tiếng Việt: Bách thanh xám phương nam
中文: 南灰伯劳

The Iberian grey shrike (Lanius meridionalis) is a member of the shrike family. It is closely related to the great grey shrike, Lanius excubitor, and its plumage is generally similar to the great grey shrike apart from the differences noted below. The Iberian was previously considered conspecific with the great grey; where they co-occur, they do not interbreed and are separated by choice of habitat.[2]

Taxonomy and systematics

The genus name, Lanius, is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes are also known as "butcher birds" because of their feeding habits. The specific meridionalis is Latin for "southern".[3] The common English name "shrike" is from Old English scríc, "shriek", referring to the shrill call.[4]

It is resident in southern Europe. It is slightly smaller and darker than the great grey shrike, and prefers dry open country.
Behaviour and ecology
Eggs of Lanius meridionalis - MHNT

This medium-sized passerine bird eats large insects, small birds and rodents. Like other shrikes it hunts from prominent perches, and impales corpses on thorns or barbed wire as a "larder".
References

BirdLife International (2017). "Lanius meridionalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22729533A118845180. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22729533A118845180.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
Sangster, George; Knox, Alan G.; Helbig, Andreas J. & Parkin, David T. (2002): Taxonomic recommendations for European birds. Ibis 144(1): 153–159. doi:10.1046/j.0019-1019.2001.00026.x PDF fulltext
Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 219, 251. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.

"Shrike". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)

Bibliography
Identification

Jorma Tenovuo & Juha Varrela (1998) Identification of the Great Grey Shrike complex in Europe Alula 4(1): 4 - 11
Clement, Peter, and Tim Worfolk (1995) Southern and eastern Great Grey Shrikes in northwest Europe Birding World 8(8) 300-309

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