Magpie Shrike Lanius melanoleucus Scientific name definitions

34·5–50 cm, including tail (male 22·5–35 cm, female 21·5–34 cm); male 55–97 g, female 71–96 g (melanoleucus). A large black-and-white shrike with an exceptionally long, strongly graduated tail . Male nominate race has head and mantle glossy black, extensively white scapulars and greyish-white rump (forming V-shape, very prominent in flight); upperwing black, tertials, secondaries and sometimes primaries and some greater upperwing-coverts white-tipped, large white patch near base of primaries (very prominent in flight); tail black; chin and throat to chest black with dark brownish gloss, belly and flanks black and less glossy, undertail-coverts black; iris brown; bill and legs black. Female is similar to male, but with large white patch on flanks, possibly even more extensive when breeding. Immature has black areas of adult replaced by dark brown without gloss, graduated tail up to same length as adult’s but dark brownish-black with buff tips (fledgling’s tail shorter), feather tips on mantle rufous-brown, scapulars whitish and tipped buff, rump buffy grey, wing-coverts and remiges with buff tips, underparts dark brown with whitish feather tips (giving barred impression), variable amount of buffy white on flanks. Races differ mainly in size: <em>aequatorialis</em> has much shorter tail (up to 26 cm), also deeper black on chin to breast, smaller white tips on secondaries and tertials; angolensis has shorter tail, supposedly not exceeding 28 cm; <em>expressus</em> is smaller, has shorter wing, remiges with larger white tips, rump greyish (rather than whitish).

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Mainly savanna woodlands and open park-like savanna with scattered acacia (Acacia) growth and short-grazed grass or bare-ground patches; also broadleaf woodland and mopane (Colophospermum) habitat. At SW limit in Botswana most common in moist areas, river valleys and vleis, always with acacia trees, but also in semi-desert habitat. Found locally in town parks (South Africa) and suburbs (Zimbabwe). Mostly in lowlands; at N limit in Kenya found at up to 1800 m.

Mainly resident. In dry season regular movements suspected near borders of range in N Namibia and C Zambia; rare (non-)breeding visitor in S Malawi. Moves temporarily into areas cleared by fires. Possible movements by individuals leaving group towards start of breeding season.

Feeds mainly on arthropods. Observed prey items ants (Formicidae), termites (Isoptera), grasshoppers (Orthoptera), mantises (Mantodea), millipedes (Diplopoda) and large grubs; also lizards, mice, fresh and rotting meat and fruit. Stomach contents consisted mainly of grasshoppers and beetles (Coleoptera). Once observed to catch and partly eat a Bronze Mannikin (Spermestes cucullata), but in general birds seem a very rare food source. Nestling diet insects, lizards and rodents. Scans for prey from top and outer branches of small trees and bushes, also from artificial perches such as telephone wires and fences. Usually catches prey by dropping down on to it from perch , or by grasping or plunging on item after a low flight of sometimes more than 20 m; prey occasionally caught in air. Other catching techniques are hopping around on ground to disturb prey, and gleaning items from leaves and branches. Usually forages solitarily, but group-members often attracted to food source of foraging individual; feeds gregariously on ground on ants and termites when these emerge in large numbers.

Noisy, with large variety of sounds reflecting complex social organization. Territorial calls various loud, repeated whistles e.g. “teeloo-teeloo”, first note higher than following one, resembling “needle boom needle boom” or “come here come here”; breeding pair calls in duet, “teeloo” by male and higher-pitched “tleeu” by female. Scolding “chack” or “tchzzrrr” alarm used for ground predators, more intense and prolonged as nest-site approached; alarm call for aerial predator shorter. Begging call of breeding female repeated “tzzeew”, becoming louder and more frequent as group-member approaches nest; begging call of young similar.

Season largely coincides with rainy season, in S (nominate race) from Aug to Mar (Oct–Mar in Zambia, mainly Oct–Nov in Zimbabwe and N South Africa, Nov–Feb in Botswana) and Jan–Apr in E Africa (aequatorialis); two broods probably common. Probably monogamous. Gregarious and regularly co-operative territorial breeder, group size varying from two (breeding pair only) to eleven during breeding season (in austral winter up to 19); social organization little known, probably one breeding pair within a group, seemingly breeding female dominant; in one study group home range estimated at 23 ha and 32 ha in one area and average of 22 ha in another, in a second study 70 ha. Nest built by breeding pair, but one study suggests probably one or more helpers also involved; a compact cup made from twigs, fibres, rootlets and grass, also artificial material if available, lined with finer material but with ragged exterior, placed 1·5–12 m (average c. 4 m) above ground in thorny tree, especially acacia; breeding territory of c. 3 ha around nest. Clutch 1–6 eggs, usually 3–5, buff to yellow with brown and grey spots; replacement clutches frequent; incubation by breeding female only, fed by male and apparently also by certain other members of group, period 16–20 days; hatching usually asynchronous, chicks brooded by female, fed by parents and by at least one helper (probably more), young of first brood known to feed nestlings of second brood, nestling period 19–24 days; young start to forage for themselves in second week after fledging, but fed by adults at decreasing rate for up to 8 weeks after leaving nest. Breeding success variable: in one study a pair made seven breeding attempts, of which two successful; success per pair (at least one nestling leaving nest during breeding season) 85%, at least 2·1 fledglings per pair; fledging success per nest (at least one nestling leaving nest) 47%, fledging success per egg 31%; some nest failures caused by strong winds and possibly by human disturbance, also suspected nest predation by crows (Corvidae), monkeys and raptors.

Not globally threatened. Uncommon to locally very common. Disappears or decreases in areas severely modified by man. Indications of decline in some areas, e.g. SW Kenya (only few pairs remaining in E Masai Mara Game Park). Seems generally not to adapt well to man-made habitats, but in Zimbabwe several groups have for long bred in suburbs of Bulawayo.