male Red-backed Shrike

The Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) breeds in large parts of Europe and western Asia, but migrates to tropical Africa during the winter months. The species is quite infamous for their peculiar hunting behaviour. The birds observe their surroundings from prominent perches hunting mainly larger insects, but also small birds, frogs, rodents, and lizards. After a successful attack, the prey is commonly impaled on thorns or barbed wire and stored for later consumption. The birds favour a habitat with open areas mixed with occasional bushes. I have photographed this species in the small Dosenmoor in northern Germany in June 2014.

male Red-backed Shrike