This year's birds
Just a reminder that the Estonian Ornithological Society has chosen the great grey shrike and the red-backed shrike as this year’s bird of the year. They are the 16th in order of the Birds of the year.
Both species are quite common here in Estonia but at the same time little known birds. The great grey shrike is noticed more often, passing by on migration and searching for food in wintry cultivated landscapes. The male and the female have similar plumages, the year round. During the nesting period they keep to sheltered bog areas. The number of great grey shrikes in Estonia is estimated at 300-600 pairs.
The redbacked shrike is a much more common nesting bird and widely found in open landscapes, shrubs and juniper thickets. Despite this the redbacked shrike, quietly sitting in wait for its prey on a wire or in the top of a bush, is rather little known. As a migrant the redbacked shrike arrives here in the middle of May, the male birds somewhat earlier than the females.
Both species are quite common here in Estonia but at the same time little known birds. The great grey shrike is noticed more often, passing by on migration and searching for food in wintry cultivated landscapes. The male and the female have similar plumages, the year round. During the nesting period they keep to sheltered bog areas. The number of great grey shrikes in Estonia is estimated at 300-600 pairs.
The redbacked shrike is a much more common nesting bird and widely found in open landscapes, shrubs and juniper thickets. Despite this the redbacked shrike, quietly sitting in wait for its prey on a wire or in the top of a bush, is rather little known. As a migrant the redbacked shrike arrives here in the middle of May, the male birds somewhat earlier than the females.
In Europe the redbacked shrike is included in the European Unions so-called Birds directive, among the species in need of special protection. The number of redbacked shrikes in Estonia is estimated to be up to 60 000 pairs.
Red-backed shrike.
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