Shrikes of the World (Helm Identification Guides)

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The definitive work on shrikes – a beautiful book that will be treasured by birders and professional ornithologists alike. Shrike". Oxford English Dictionary (Onlineed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.) Lewington, I. 1999. Separation of Pallid Swift and pekinensis Common Swift. Birding World 12: 450-452. And although the Northern Shrike is doing well for now, its Arctic range is vulnerable to climate change, and this species could lose more than three-quarters of its habitat if global temperatures rise by 1.5°C. Atkinson, Eric C. (1997). "Singing for Your Supper: Acoustical Luring of Avian Prey by Northern Shrikes". The Condor. Oxford University Press (OUP). 99 (1): 203–206. doi: 10.2307/1370239. ISSN 0010-5422.

Shrikes Unique? Spiked Snacks, Shrieking Calls + More What Makes Shrikes Unique? Spiked Snacks, Shrieking Calls + More

Overall, Shrikes of the World is a tour de force of detailed ornithological writing and illustration, a significant update to the original work, and is well worth a butcher(bird)’s hook! Willow Tit comprises fourteen subspecies but only three are of relevance here – kleinschmidti (‘British Willow Tit’) from Britain, borealis (‘Northern Willow Tit’) from Scandinavia, Denmark, the Baltic States, European Russia and Ukraine and rhenanus (‘Central European Willow Tit’) breeding on the near-continent east to westernmost Germany and north-west Switzerland. Peregrine is widespread and exhibits considerable variation, with sixteen subspecies recognised worldwide. Nominate peregrinus breeds across Europe and northern Asia but is replaced across northernmost Arctic regions by calidus (‘Russian Peregrine’), a long distance migrant. Similarly, in North America the subspecies anatum is replaced in northernmost regions by tundrius (‘Tundra Peregrine’), also a long distance migrant.

The species accounts give information about the past and current distribution, along with threats and conservation status. Detailed and fully revised maps accompany the authoritative text, along with hundreds of high-quality photos showcasing racial and ageing differences as well as interesting aspects of shrike behaviour. An exceptional new series of plates by Tim Worfolk have been created, with more individual plumages shown than in the previous edition. Identification of nominate columbarius can be straightforward by reference to the tail pattern. The subspecies pallidus is strikingly pale and finely marked. Claims of minor should be accompanied by biometrics. Details of a ringed bird would of course provide additional evidence. ( updated Dec 2017 AMS).

Shrikes of the World | BTO - British Trust for Ornithology

The "true" shrikes are a striking group of birds occurring throughout most of the Old World and North America. This is a comprehensive guide to 31 species of shrike from all over the world. It includes information on distribution, general behaviour, ecology and conservation, as well as on identification features. The author covers the latest taxonomic views on the family, and considers the Southern grey shrike to be a separate species from the great grey shrike. The subspecies homeyeri (sometimes known as ‘Steppe Shrike’) breeds from south-east Europe through the Ural mountains into western Siberia. It is not on the British List but it has occurred in Sweden, Germany and Finland. Birds showing some homeyeri characters have been noted in Yorkshire and Norfolk ( http://birdingfrontiers.com/2010/12/15/sheffields-steppe-shrike-update/, Nash 2012). However, neither of these individuals showed the full suite of characters. Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 219. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4. Van Rijswijk, C. 2009. Witte Kerkuilen in Nederland: voorkomen en herkenning. Dutch Birding 31: 353-364. Older, locally published records will not be reviewed unless this is specifically requested and photographs are available. We urge observers to submit further evidence of apparently normal alba rearing guttata-like young so that we can better understand this phenomenon in Britain. ( updated Dec 2017 AMS).

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The subspecies scoticus breeds in a restricted area of north-central Scotland. In addition , cristatus and mitratus are on the British List, the former in relation to a bird in North Yorkshire in March 1872, the latter in relation to a bird on the Isle of Wight ‘prior to 1844’. The remaining English records (about ten in all and mostly from the nineteenth century) were not attributed to subspecies but were presumably continental in origin (Scottish birds have not been recorded south of the Central Belt).