Common Birds of Western Himalayas 



in structure, shrikes are as indubitably raptores 

 by nature. They are nothing less than pocket 

 hawks. 



Their habit is to sit on an exposed perch and 

 pounce from thence on to some insect on the 

 ground. The larger species attack small birds. 



Four species of butcher-bird may perhaps 

 be classed among the common birds of the 

 Himalayas ; but they are inhabitants of the 

 lower ranges only. It is unusual to see a 

 shrike at as high an elevation as 6000 feet. 

 In consequence they are seldom observed at 

 hill stations. 



It is true that the grey-backed shrike does 

 occur as high as 9000 feet, but this species, 

 being confined mainly to the inner ranges, 

 does not occur at most hill stations. 



The bay-backed shrike {Lanius vittatus) is 

 a bird rather smaller than a bulbul. Its head 

 is grey except for a broad black band running 

 through the eye. The wings and tail are black 

 and white. The back is chestnut red and the 

 rump white. 



The rufous-backed shrike (Z. erythronotus) 

 is very like the last species, but it is a larger 

 bird. It has no white in the wings and tail, 

 and its rump is red instead of being white. 



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