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Brown Shrike caught a frog

on 27th October 2018

Steven Cheong’s images, documented at Bidadari, shows a Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) that caught a frog and proceeded to impale it through a sharp broken branch. What these images show are the different stages of the frog being impaled, ending in the shrike taking pieces from the impaled frog to eat (see last image below).

Shrikes are commonly known as butcher birds. Although they appear harmless, they are aggressive and fierce. In fact, they behave like small raptors.

They have the habit of impaling their prey on a sharp thorn or broken branch. This can serve as a cache, to return later to eat it or to fix larger prey for easy picking.

Shrikes also cast pellets after their meal – see HERE.

They eat mainly large insects like grasshoppers, as well as reptiles (lizards, skinks) and even mammals.

Steven Cheong
Singapore
16th October 2018

This post is a cooperative effort between Birds, Insects N Creatures Of Asia and BESG to bring the study of birds and their behaviour through photography and videography to a wider audience.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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