Lesser Grey Shrike
Lanius minor
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyLaniidae (Shrikes)
- GenusLanius (Typical Shrikes)
- SpeciesLanius minor (Lesser Grey Shrike)
The lesser grey shrike (Lanius minor) is a passerine bird in the shrike family Laniidae. It breeds in South and Central Europe and western Asia and migrates to winter quarters in southern Africa in the early autumn, returning in spring. It is a scarce vagrant to western Europe, including Great Britain, usually as a spring or autumn erratic. It is similar in appearance to the great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor) and the Iberian grey shrike (Lanius meridionalis); both sexes are predominantly black, white and grey, and males have pink-flushed underparts. It is slightly smaller than the great grey shrike, and has a black forehead and relatively longer wings. This species prefers dry open lowlands and is often seen on telephone wires. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Grey Shrike sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, based on 46 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Southern Fiscal
Lanius collaris
Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurio
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Plocepasser mahali
Social Weaver
Philetairus socius
Red-shouldered Glossy-starling
Lamprotornis nitens
Crimson-breasted Gonolek
Laniarius atrococcineus
Mariqua Flycatcher
Bradornis mariquensis
Scaly Weaver
Sporopipes squamifrons
Yellow Canary
Crithagra flaviventris
Cape Sparrow
Passer melanurus
Kalahari Scrub Robin
Erythropygia paena
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
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
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Lesser Grey Shrike in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
About 18% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Grey Shrike sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, based on 46 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Lesser Grey Shrike in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Lesser Grey Shrike in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in our monthly data.