Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)
| Family | Shrike (Laniidae) |
| wingspan | 30-40 cm |
| Weight | 55-80 g |
| Appearance | grey-white plumage with dark grey back and light underside
conspicuous black markings on head, wings and tail |
| Migratory bird | No |
| Conservation status | Red List Luxembourg Category 1 – Critically endangered (CR) |
The Great Grey Shrike is a bird about the size of a blackbird that belongs to the shrike family. One of their peculiarities is that they like to impale their food on thorns in order to stock up on it or to be able to eat it more easily. The Great Grey Shrike is found throughout Central Europe north of the Alps and partly in the British Isles, but not everywhere as a breeding bird. Even though its range is large, it has become very rare in Europe. In Luxembourg, the Great Grey Shrike is present all year round, with its breeding range concentrated on the northern plateau and the east of the Grand Duchy. In winter, however, it can be found throughout the country.
The Great Grey Shrike feeds mainly on large insects and small vertebrates, especially frogs, lizards and small birds. It usually hunts from various perches, but also hunts directly on the ground. Its habitat is characterised by a varied, partly short-grassed, open landscape with hedges and solitary trees, which it also uses for breeding. It is important to have a good overview of the terrain and perching places for hunting. The disappearance of structures in connection with pesticide use, which has a negative effect on the availability of prey, especially large insects, has caused the populations to shrink drastically. A dramatic decline in populations has also been observed in Luxembourg in recent years.
