Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor

Introduction

This striking, grey, black and white passerine is a winter visitor to UK heathlands in small numbers.

The Great Grey Shrike has always been a scarce winter visitor to the UK. Numbers fluctuate wildly and in some winters fewer than 10 birds might be recorded. Like most birds escaping the frozen north, the numbers occurring here are dependent on the availability of food (small birds and rodents in the case of Great Grey Shrike) closer to their breeding grounds.

In the UK, lowland heathland is the preferred habitat where it is well known for creating larders, typically a thorn bush in which food is stored impaled. Some individuals return to traditional sites, while others are more transient. Consequently the Bird Atlas 2007–11 distribution map based on four winters shows a wider distribution than might be expected in a single winter.

Key Stats

Scarce

67.5g

4-7

<1%

BTO Records

30k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

2.5% expansion

Identification

Curated resources to aid in the identification of Great Grey Shrike

Songs and Calls

Open Close

Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Great Grey Shrike, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

Call:

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

Open Close

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

Listed on the Annexes of*

Bern(III)

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

Open Close

BOU Category

Source

First Record*

1544

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

Open Close

Although the occasional Great Grey Shrike is recorded in the UK during the breeding season, there have been no confirmed breeding records for this species [Eaton & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel 2021]. Great Grey Shrike is predominantly a scarce migrant, with only a very small number of individuals remaining in the UK over winter [White & Kehoe 2024]. There has been a noticeable decline in the number ofindividuals recorded in the UK in the past decade, although there is no statistically significant long-term trend [White & Kehoe 2024]; at a European scale, the population trend is also decreasing [BirdLife International 2021].

Distribution

Open Close

The winter distribution of Great Grey Shrikes is wide but strangely clumped, extending through most of Britain except western Scotland; there were no accepted winter records in Ireland. East coast records often involve late passage birds. Extensive areas of prime habitat, such as the New Forest, Dartmoor, Exmoor and the Thames Basin Heaths, regularly hold more than one active winter territory.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

294

% occupied in winter

9.7%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Winter Distribution for Great Grey Shrike

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution for Great Grey Shrike

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

Open Close

Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

2.5 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Winter Distribution change for Great Grey Shrike

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

Open Close

Great Grey Shrike is a scarce autumn passage migrant and rare winter visitor. Some individuals are long-staying and may return to the same location year after year.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Great Grey Shrike movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

Open Close

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

Open Close

EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Great Grey Shrike, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Productivity and Nesting

Open Close

Nesting timing

Typical (exceptional) number of broods

Source

Egg measurements

Typical length x width

26x20 mm

Mass (% shell)

5.3g (6%)

Source

Clutch Size

Typical number

7-4 eggs

Observed minimum and maximum

3-9 eggs

Source

Incubation

Incubation by

Female

Typical duration

17-15 days

Source

Fledging

Type of chick

Altricial, naked

Typical duration

18-15 days

Source

Survival and Longevity

Open Close

Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

Biometrics

Open Close

Wing length and body weights are from live birds (source).

Ring Size

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Great Grey Shrike

Classification and Codes

Open Close

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Laniidae
Scientific name: Lanius excubitor
Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

BTO 2-letter code: SR
BTO 5-letter code: GRGSH
Euring code number: 15200

Alternate species names

Open Close

Catalan: botxí septentrional
Czech: tuhýk šedý
Danish: Stor Tornskade
Dutch: Klapekster
Estonian: hallõgija
Finnish: isolepinkäinen
French: Pie-grièche grise
Gaelic: Feòladair-glas

German: Raubwürger
Hungarian: nagy orgébics
Icelandic: Grásvarri
Irish: Mórscréachán Liath
Italian: Averla maggiore
Latvian: liela cakste
Lithuanian: plešrioji medšarke
Norwegian: Varsler

Polish: srokosz (europejski)
Portuguese: picanço-real-nortenho
Slovak: strakoš velký
Slovenian: veliki srakoper
Spanish: Alcaudón norteño
Swedish: varfågel
Welsh: Cigydd Mawr

English folkname(s): Butcher Bird, Ash-coloured Shrike

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

Find a Species

Search by common or scientific name

Or view the alphabetical list of UK bird species