Lanius gubernator
The Emin's Shrike (*Lanius gubernator*) is a striking, relatively small true shrike of central Africa, typically measuring 15-16 cm (6-6.3 inches) in length and weighing around 20-25 grams. Males are immediately identifiable by their bright rufous crown and contrasting jet-black facial mask, set against a grey nape, glossy black back, and rufous rump. Their underparts are buffy-white, often with a rufous wash on the flanks, and the black tail is conspicuously edged with white outer feathers. ...
Prefers open woodlands, savanna, and shrublands, often near rivers or wetlands, utilizing areas with scattered trees and bushes for perching and nesting, typically at low to moderate elevations.
Mainly insectivorous, feeding on a diverse array of large insects including beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and caterpillars, captured primarily through a sit-and-wait foraging method.
A diurnal species, Emin's Shrike is a classic 'sit-and-wait' predator, often perching conspicuously on exposed branches while scanning for prey, frequently flicking its tail. It swoops down to capture insects on the ground or in vegetation, and is also known to hawk insects in flight. While less ...
Emin's Shrike is a resident species with a restricted yet stable distribution across central Africa. Its breeding and year-round range extends from southeastern Nigeria and central Cameroon eastward through the Central African Republic, northern Democratic Republic of Congo, and southern South Su...
Least Concern
- Named after Emin Pasha, a German physician and naturalist who explored Central Africa in the late 19th century. - Despite its name, it was once mistakenly classified as a 'bush-shrike,' which belongs to a different avian family (Malaconotidae) altogether. - Like its larger shrike relatives, it ...