Grey Butcherbird

Christian , you should add video tapes of your spottings. it may require effort on your part,but it will enrich Project Noah for sure!!

Christine, they tend to hang whole small birds, especially nestlings, after they kill them, and then head back to the hunt. I've seen shrikes use a stretch of barbed wire to hold their kills. It can be a bit confronting when there are a dozen dead birds in a row.

Alice, as the name implies the grey butcherbird likes to hang its food off of twigs or thorns for later consumption, like the American shrike. This particular individual looks like a juvenile bird. Butcherbirds are grouped with Australian magpies and currawongs into the genus Cracticus (a lot of Australians mistakenly think these birds, especially currawongs, are Corvids because of their crow-like appearance and habits). Like the magpies butcherbirds are spectacular singers. Ours have been very visible and noisy of late, which makes me think they are gearing up for attracting mates (today is the day before winter solstice downunder).

Very Good Looking !!

Does his name indicate habits of our Shrike? Very good-looking bird and he does look related to a Kingfisher by his shape.