Shrikes: Carminebreasted Shrike, Longtailed Shrike
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Carminebreasted Shrike: A very beautiful but shy, nervous bird. A characteristic that makes getting a shot like this very difficult. I Managed to grab this one when it came to drink, and then flew up to the branch. [Deception Valley, Botswana].
This pair of Crimsonbreasted Shrikes in the next three images are gathering small sticks to build a nest in a nearby bush. He had some of these in his beak when I took the picture. We thought that this individual was the male, because he was brighter colored, more slender, and somewhat larger. [Botswana].
We thought that this was the female Crimsonbreasted Shrike who also was gathering twigs for the nest. She was a little smaller and plumper. [Botswana].
I added this frame to show that the red color of the Crimsonbreasted Shrike extends from the throat to the tail. Usually, easily spooked, this morning they were distracted by their nest-building activity. [Botswana].
The Longtailed Shrike is a small black bird with some white patches and a very long tail. It is frequently seen in groups of 6 or more. [Moremi NP, Botswana].
A frontal View of a Longtailed Shrike that emphasizes its very long tail. [Moremi NP, Botswana].
Another view of a Longtailed Shrike. It is a widely distributed African bird that may be solitary, in pairs, or in small groups. Its diet is small insects. [Botswana].
A Longtailed Shrike on a snag is a common, small insect-eater, said to become very accepting of human presence. (Please see previous captions). [Botswana].