Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) perched on a bush. This bird is a predatory songbird that has a hooked beak to feed on meat, but lacks the talons

---

Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) perched on a bush. This bird is a predatory songbird that has a hooked beak to feed on meat, but lacks the talons of a bird-of-prey. Shrikes share a similarity with butcherbirds (Cracticus sp.) where they impale their prey on plant thorns, or wedge it in the fork of a tree, to support it and store it for later consumption. Prey ranges from insects to worms and small birds, voles, or lizards.

---

Size: 3658px × 2439px
Photo credit: © BILDAGENTUR-ONLINE/MCPHOTO-SCHAEF/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1, animal, animals, backed, beak, biological, biology, bird, birds, bush, butcher, butcher-bird, butcherbird, carnivore, carnivorous, collurio, european, fauna, hooked, lanius, nature, ornithological, ornithology, perched, perching, predator, predatory, red, red-backed, redbacked, shrike, single, wild, wildlife, zoological, zoology