Appearance
The race "L. m. meridionalis" is resident in southern Europe and north Africa. It is slightly smaller and darker than the Great Grey Shrike, and prefers dry open country.The race "L. m. pallidirostis" breeds in central Asia and winters in the tropics. It is much paler than Southern Grey or Great Grey, and is sometimes split as a separate species, the Steppe Grey Shrike, "L. pallidirostis". It too prefers more arid habitat with sparse vegetation.
The plumage is generally similar to Great Grey Shrike apart from the differences noted above.
Food
This medium-sized passerine bird eats large insects, small birds and rodents. Like other shrikes it hunts from prominent perches, and impales corpses on thorns or barbed wire as a "larder".
Migration
The migratory eastern form is a scarce vagrant to western Europe, including Great Britain, usually in autumn.References:
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