Red-bellied Shrike

The Red-bellied Shrike is not yet included. The shy bird prefers a hidden, quiet lifestyle. With its loud whistling, however, it repeatedly draws attention to itself. It lives widely distributed predominantly in Africa and prefers arid tropical and subtropical bushland as its habitat. It lives mainly in the mopane forests and bush savannas of Namibia, Botswana and in the Cape Province of South Africa. The medium-sized, about 20 centimetres, Red-bellied Shrike belongs to the genus Laniarius of the crow family. The plumage of both the male and the female is black and red. The black upper side has white stripes on the wings. The legs and beak are also deep black. The underside is carmine red in both sexes. Their young are yellowish-brown and have dark cross-stripes. Red-bellied Shrikes are solitary, but are often found in pairs.

Food and Offspring of the Red-bellied Shrike

Insects are their main food. They also feed on animal and plant matter. Ants, beetles, butterflies and fruits are preferred. When a pair forms, they stay together until death separates them. A new pairing is not uncommon afterwards. After mating, the female lays two to three eggs. The nest is built by both. They also share the incubation period and food search. In contrast to many other birds, the young are independent after about 20 days, but still return to the nesting site. In South Africa's Kruger National Park, the Red-bellied Shrike can be observed at close range. In this vast protected area, countless bird species have become accustomed to humans approaching them.