Magpie Shrike
Magpie ShrikeMagpie ShrikeMagpie ShrikeMagpie Shrike

Magpie Shrike

Urolestes melanoleucus

40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Kruger National Park
3,787 Verified records at Kruger National Park
October 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 Kruger National Park, based on 3,787 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Kruger National Park

Red-backed Shrike
LC

Red-backed Shrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius collurio

20–30% · With luck
Southern White-crowned Shrike
LC

Southern White-crowned Shrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eurocephalus anguitimens

10–20% · With luck
Lesser Grey Shrike
LC

Lesser Grey Shrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius minor

5–10% · With luck
Southern Fiscal
LC Endemic

Southern Fiscal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius collaris

<5% · Rare
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

60–70% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

50–60% · Likely
Red-billed Oxpecker

Red-billed Oxpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buphagus erythrorhynchus

50–60% · Likely
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
LC

Blue-breasted Cordonbleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus angolensis

40–50% · Likely
Black-backed Puffback
LC

Black-backed Puffback

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryoscopus cubla

40–50% · Likely
Burchell's Glossy-starling
LC

Burchell's Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis australis

40–50% · Likely
Red-shouldered Glossy-starling
LC

Red-shouldered Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis nitens

40–50% · Likely
Greater Blue-eared Starling
LC

Greater Blue-eared Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis chalybaeus

40–50% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
40–50
Feb
30–40
Mar
40–50
Apr
40–50
May
40–50
Jun
40–50
Jul
40–50
Aug
40–50
Sep
50–60
Oct
40–50
Nov
40–50
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 Kruger National Park?

About 47% of wildlife watchers report a Magpie Shrike sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 3,787 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

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

October has the highest sighting rate for Magpie Shrike in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Kruger National Park