E. concolor
         L. collurio
         M. striata
         S. torquata
         T. onustus
         M. gibbosus

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Unless otherwise noted, all pictures on this site were taken in Pelion, Greece, shown on the map below.

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View images of the Common Toad, an ugly, bulky, but really sweet creature with an interesting... nightlife.

  Veggie of the Month

Learn about the Salsify, a beautiful plant, with edible and medicinal properties, that is currently blooming in Pelion.

  Cool Destination

Visit Mourtias, one of Pelion's most picturesque beaches on the Aegean coast.

  Exciting Site

Tour the Volos Archaeological Museum, a pretty century-old building, whose exhibits span a historical period of over 10 millennia!

  Month's Wallpaper

Download a fantastic picture of a rickety jetty in Lefokastron, Pelion, taken by Huw Jones.

Loading image. Please wait Adult Male Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) :: Apr. 1997 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos Adult Male Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) :: Apr. 1997 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos No image! No image! No image!

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

This beautiful bird, which can reach a length of about 17cm (approx. 6 3/4") at maturity, is a seasonal visitor to Pelion, arriving in mid to late spring. Adult males, such as the one shown above, have a distinctive combination of gray crown and  rump, black mask, reddish back and pale breast. Females are much duller, browner and scaly, and lack the characteristic black mask.

From its vantage-point, the red-backed shrike swoops down on insects (rarely mice, lizards and small birds), which it tears to pieces with its strong, curved bill. It then consumes what it can and stores "leftovers", pinning them to thorns or hanging them on nearby branches. Because of its predatory behavior it known locally as "Eagle Fighter."

It can be found in old orchards, bushes and hedges surrounded by meadows, with enough hiding places and an abundance of food. As far as I know, this species is quite rare in the Pelion region; I have only spotted it a couple of times thus far.

According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the UK Government agreed a Biodiversity Action Plan for this species in 1998. The target for this plan has recently been reviewed and is follows:

"Ensure the success of any pairs of red-backed shrikes, which attempt to breed in the UK, and therefore maximize the chances of recolonization".

The red-backed shrike has declined considerably in recent years and is now only a sporadic breeding species in the UK. The reasons for the decline are not fully understood. Re-colonization is likely to depend on chance events outside human control.

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Fact Sheet

Food
Insects, and small birds and mammals.

Habitat
Lowland heathland, farmland, downland and orchards with thickets and scrub.

Distribution
A summer visitor to Europe leaving in late July-early September to winter in Eastern and Southern Africa with most birds crossing the eastern end of the Mediterranean and especially common in Greece and the Greek islands in autumn. Leaves wintering areas in late March arriving in the Region in April-May. In Britain now recorded mainly as a scarce passage migrant at coastal migration points. Vagrant north to Iceland and Faroes, also Madeira, the Canary Islands and North-West Africa.

Interesting Statistics

• Eggs: 3-7
• Incubation: 12-16 days
• Fledging: 14-15 days
• Maximum lifespan: 7 years
• Length: 17cm (6.7in)
• Wingspan: 24-27cm (9.5-10.5in)
• Weight: 25-35g (0.9-1.25 ounces)

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Taxonomy


Superkingdom: Eukaryota; Kingdom: Metazoa; Phylum: Chordata; Subphylum: Craniata; Superclass: Gnathostomata; Class: Aves; Superorder: Neognathae; Order: Passeriformes; Superfamily: Corvoidea; Family: Laniidae; Genus: Lanius; Species: collurio

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Acknowledgments


Most of the information on this page has been obtained from Eurobirding and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

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