Magpie Shrike
Magpie ShrikeMagpie ShrikeMagpie ShrikeMagpie Shrike

Magpie Shrike

Urolestes melanoleucus

40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Hwange National Park
223 Verified records at Hwange National Park
July Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The magpie shrike (Urolestes melanoleucus), also known as the African long-tailed shrike, is a species of bird in the family Laniidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Urolestes. It is native to the grasslands of eastern and southeastern Africa, where its natural habitats are dry savannah, moist savannah, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It has a very wide range and is common in places, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Magpie Shrike sighting in Hwange National Park, based on 223 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Hwange National Park

Southern White-crowned Shrike
LC

Southern White-crowned Shrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eurocephalus anguitimens

30–40% · Possible
Red-backed Shrike
LC

Red-backed Shrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius collurio

10–20% · With luck
Lesser Grey Shrike
LC

Lesser Grey Shrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius minor

10–20% · With luck
Southern Fiscal
LC Endemic

Southern Fiscal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius collaris

Insufficient data
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

60–70% · Likely
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
LC

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser mahali

50–60% · Likely
Arrow-marked Babbler
LC

Arrow-marked Babbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdoides jardineii

40–50% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

30–40% · Possible
Golden-breasted Bunting
LC

Golden-breasted Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Emberiza flaviventris

30–40% · Possible
Meves's Glossy-starling
LC

Meves's Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis mevesii

20–30% · Possible
Red-billed Oxpecker

Red-billed Oxpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buphagus erythrorhynchus

20–30% · Possible
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver
LC

Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bubalornis niger

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
30–40
Feb
20–30
Mar
30–40
Apr
40–50
May
50–60
Jun
70–80
Jul
50–60
Aug
50–60
Sep
50–60
Oct
30–40
Nov
60–70
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
60–70%
2 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
40–50%
3 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
4 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
40–50%
5 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
30–40%
6 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
7 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
8 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
9 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
10–20%
10 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
11 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
12 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
13 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
14 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
15 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
16 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
17 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
18 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
19 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Magpie Shrike in Hwange National Park?

About 48% of wildlife watchers report a Magpie Shrike sighting in Hwange National Park, based on 223 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Magpie Shrike in Hwange National Park?

July has the highest sighting rate for Magpie Shrike in Hwange National Park in our monthly data.

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