Tiger Shrike

Tiger Shrike (Lanius tigrinus) is a small shy shrike with reddish-brown upperparts crossed by tiger-like dark bars; adult males have a grey head and black mask. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It inhabits wooded habitats in eastern Asia, hunting insects and other small animals from concealed perches and building a cup nest in a tree before migrating south. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).