EMIRATES BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE - EBRC EBRC

Rare Bird Report Form Index No:

Example of how to complete a report, check http://www.uaebirding.com/ebrc.html

1. To be completed by EBRC
Date received: Date processed: Verdict: (Accepted,
On hold, Rejected):
Date observer was notified of verdict: Other info:
If known, original finder of the bird(s):
If known, dates first and last seen:

2. To be completed by the observer

If your record is not well-photographed, please fill out as many fields as possible, paying particular attention to the Field
Description. For a well-photographed species only the basic details, marked in yellow, need completing (if you would like to
include additional written detail, feel free to do so).

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Observation details
Species common name Species Latin name (subspecies if known)

Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus cristatus/lucionensis

Date of observation (dd.mm.yyyy) : Friday 11th May 2007
Number of birds: 1 Sex: Male Age: Adult Time of obs.: 17:30 Duration: 45 minutes on
& off
Location: Khalidiyah; Ra's al-Akhdar, on Abu Dhabi island.
GPS coordinates if site previously unknown (deg:mm + deg:mm):
Weather / light conditions / wind: Late afternoon sunlight (bird mostly in the shade).
Optical equipment used: Zeiss 10x42, Swarovski 7x42 & 8.5x42 Distance to bird(s): around 15m

Observer(s)
Main Nick J. Moran Address of main British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi, UAE
observer: observer:
E-mail: nickmoran@xxx Phone: +971 50 323 6839 Fax:
Report written (date): 13.05.2007
Birdwatching since: 1983 Birdwatching experience in Arabia: 2 years
Observers experience of this species / similar species: L. c. cristatus observed regularly by NJM & OJC in India and Thailand.
L. c. lucionensis observed irregularly by NJM in China & Sri Lanka.
L.c. superciliosus observed once by OJC in Japan
L. isabellinus observed frequently in the UAE and Oman by all observers.
L. collurio observed annually in the UAE / UK by all observers.
Who initially made the identification: NJM & OJC
Co-observer: Oscar J. Campbell Experience of this species or similar: Birdwatching since: 1983
Co-observers E-mail: ojcampbell@xxx See above In Arabia: 1 year
Co-observer: Ian Boustead Experience of this species or similar: Birdwatching since:
Co-observers E-mail: Ian.Boustead@xxx None In Arabia: 3 years
Co-observer: Experience of this species or similar: Birdwatching since:
Co-observers E-mail: In Arabia:

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Description
Circumstances of observation - After a long hot morning in Al Ain, Ian, Oscar & I reconvened for more birding in Abu Dhabi around
describe how the bird was found: 5pm. We arrived at Khalidiyah, parked the cars in the usual place, logged a few Spotted Flycatchers
then within 50m south of the cars, hit on a very striking shrike
How did you identify the bird We knew within a few moments of observation that the shrike was not a standard Red-backed or
(immediately, after observing the Turkestan (the only two other likely species that could approach this individual in terms of the solid
bird for a while, by studying jet black mask and richly coloured plumage) Yet another hybrid became the early front-runner but I
literature afterwards): raised the question of what? given that there were no obvious features of the two shrikes
mentioned. We realised that few (if any) features matched either Isabelline or Red-backed. I
mooted Brown x ? as a possibility and as we watched the bird I began to wonder if there were any
features suggesting Red-backed or Turkestan input. However, it was not until wed consulted
Lefranc & Worfolk, and several websites, that we realised its true identity. We eventually discovered
that the bird bore a very close resemblance to an individual accepted as Brown Shrike in Co. Kerry,
Ireland, November 1999.
Reference books used to confirm Shrikes Lefranc, N. and Worfolk, T.
identification: Collins Bird Guide Mullarney, K., Svensson, L., Zetterstrom, D. & Grant, P.
Birds of Southeast Asia Robson, C.
www.birdskorea.org
www.orientalbirdimages.org
www.galleryofbirds.com/autumn99/autumn99.html
Bird alone / or in company with Alone.
the following species:
Behaviour: Dropping from overhanging branches to snatch beetles from the ground, then flying up to more concealed perches
to consume them. It disappeared from view on several occasions, presumably resting higher up in the canopy.
Field description (general impression / size / shape / See sketch, fieldnotes & photographs.
head / upperparts / underparts / tail / wings / bare parts):
Call / song: None given.
Similar species: Isabelline Shrike (in particular Turkestan Shrike L. i. phoenicuroides), Red-backed Shrike L. collurio.
Which characters The key features excluding these two species, and any hybrid involving either, were the rich orange-buff underparts
do you consider (typically white in phoenicuroides & pinkish-flushed in Red-backed), the warm brown tail (similar tone to mantle), the
exclude similar complete lack of white in the wings, and the essentially dark remiges with contrastingly pale-fringed tertials. The pale
species: outer retrices did not fit the Red-breasted Flycatcher pattern of Red-backed Shrike, and were not pure white.
Subspecific identification - short description: The white forehead, becoming pale grey on the crown, and the heavy bill, are good
characteristics for the subspecies lucionensis, whilst the warm chestnut brown of the
saddle suggests the subspecies cristatus. After viewing over 50 internet images of
Brown Shrike, I discovered that the bird very closely resembled the Irish bird of
November 1999, identified as a lucionensis / cristatus intergrade - see
www.galleryofbirds.com/autumn99/autumn99.html .
Age identification - short description: Adult (hatched last year or earlier; not possible to be more definite - all individuals
undergo a complete moult on the winter quarters, after which ageing is no longer
possible).
Gender identification - short description: Solid jet black mask, just crossing above the bill, the richness of the colouration of the
underparts and the complete lack of any vermiculations identified this as a male.

Documentation
EBRC would like to keep any submitted documentation for our files.
If you have photos, you can insert them on the last page.
EBRC will publish submitted documentation in our reports and website, unless the photographer specifically states otherwise in this report.

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Documentation Brown Shrike
available Lanius cristatus (cristatus x lucionensis)
(photo, video,
sound These notes are intended to highlight / qualify
recording, features in the fieldsketches and photographs,
fieldnotes): and to provide additional points not illustrated:
o Narrow white eyebrow behind eye only
(strikingly pale grey forehead eliminated any
possibility of this feature in front of the eye).
o Greyish-brown colouration towards rear of
crown, reasonably clearly demarcated from
pale grey crown.
o Mantle appeared a dark chestnut brown
(possibly accentuated by afternoon sunlight)
not the bright rufous of Red-backed.
o Underpart colouration was very rich; the
general colour was markedly warm orange-
buff, unlike the cream-buff on some Isabellines

or the pinky glow of many male Red-backed.

o Wing coverts were a similar colour to saddle
and contrasted with darker folded remiges.
o Tertial edges clearly paler, forming three
neat fringes on the folded wing.
o Rump a slightly paler and warmer chestnut
brown than tail, the palest part of the back of
the bird.
o Tail similar in tone to back though darker
towards tip, becoming almost black.
o Tail slim, slightly rounded at the tip and
rather long (perhaps an impression created
by its narrowness).
o Pale edges (and perhaps tips?) to outer retrices (or, more likely, the outer web only of these feathers) quite easily
detected in the field. This was most easily seen when the bird was perched with the tail slightly splayed see pic 2; it
was not so obvious in flight. Initially thought to be a problematic feature, this is described as characteristic of Brown
Shrike by Lefranc & Worfolk.
o Legs black (as bill).
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Documentation can be used by EBRC Yes
(Yes / No):

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 3. Photos
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All photographs Ian Boustead 2007

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