Shrikes

Two species are regular in the UK, one of which used to breed; several others are very rare visitors.

They are small to thrush-sized birds, with large, round heads, slightly hooked bills and long, sharp, arched claws. They eat insects and, in larger species, small birds, rodents and reptiles, which may be impaled on thorns for ease of feeding or to store for later. All shrikes are migrants, within Europe or to Africa in winter.