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White-tailed shrike
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Platysteiridae
Genus:	Lanioturdus Waterhouse, 1838
Species:	L. torquatus
Binomial name
Lanioturdus torquatus Waterhouse, 1838

The white-tailed shrike (Lanioturdus torquatus) is a small passerine bird from the family Platysteiridae. It is also known as the chatshrike or ground batis. It occurs only in western Angola and Namibia in thorn scrub. It forages from ground level, where it hops about in large bounds and upright posture, to 25m above ground, scanning for insects. The very short tail, with a small black mark at the tip of the central two feathers, is always carried down, never sticking up. Its range of calls includes loud ringing territorial whistles.

This curious bird, which some consider to have close affinities with the batises and others the bushshrikes, was discovered in 1837 by James Edward Alexander in the Naukluft Mountains of Namibia. Waterhouse subsequently described it in 1838, the name Lanioturdus ('shrike-thrush') reflecting the uncertainty of its classification, and torquatus denoting 'collared'. The sexes have a similar appearance.

It is a common, endemic, breeding resident in the region, small seasonal migrations taking place. Its favoured habitat is scrub-savanna, thornbush and mopane-veld. It is found singly or in pairs during the breeding season, and in small groups at other times. It is a clumsy flier with shallow and rapid wingbeats like other batises.

Nests are usually located in thorny acacias and are constructed by both sexes. Nests are deep, neat well-moulded cups incorporating spider-web and placed about 3 metres above ground. The usual clutch is 2-3 eggs pale-green to white with sparse reddish-brown spots. Only the female incubates the eggs.

References

1. BirdLife International (2016). "Lanioturdus torquatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22707446A94124604. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22707446A94124604.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.

• Shrikes of Southern Africa - Tony Harris & Graeme Arnott (Struik Winchester 1988) ISBN 0-947430-08-3

External links

• White-tailed Shrike - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.

v t e Genera of corvides and their extinct allies
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Order: Passeriformes Suborder: Passeri Infraorder: Corvides
Corvides Campephagidae Campephaga Campochaera Ceblepyris Celebesica Coracina Cyanograucalus Edolisoma Lalage Lobotos Malindangia Pericrocotus Cinclosomatidae Cinclosoma Ptilorrhoa Eulacestomatidae Eulacestoma Falcunculidae Falcunculus Mohouidae Mohoua Neosittidae Daphoenositta Oreoicidae Aleadryas Oreoica Ornorectes Oriolidae †Longmornis Oriolus Pitohui Sphecotheres †Turnagra Pachycephalidae Colluricincla Coracornis Melanorectes Pachycephala Pseudorectes Paramythiidae Oreocharis Paramythia Psophodidae Androphobus Psophodes Malaconotoidea See below ↓ Corvoidea See below ↓
Malaconotoidea Aegithinidae Aegithina Artamidae Artaminae Artamus Craticinae Cracticus Gymnorhina †Kurrartapu Melloria Strepera Peltopsinae Peltops Machaerirhynchidae Machaerirhynchus Malaconotidae Chlorophoneus Dryoscopus Laniarius Malaconotus Nilaus Rhodophoneus Tchagra Telophorus Pityriasidae Pityriasis Platysteiridae Batis Lanioturdus Platysteira Rhagologidae Rhagologus Vangidae Artamella Bias Calicalicus Cyanolanius Euryceros Falculea Hemipus Hypositta Leptopterus Megabyas Mystacornis Newtonia Oriolia Philentoma Prionops Pseudobias Schetba Tephrodornis Tylas Vanga Xenopirostris
Corvoidea Corcoracidae Corcorax Struthidea Corvidae Aphelocoma Calocitta Cissa Corvus Crypsirina Cyanocitta Cyanocorax Cyanolyca Cyanopica Dendrocitta Garrulus Gymnorhinus †Henocitta †Miocitta †Miocorvus †Miopica Nucifraga Perisoreus Pica Platysmurus Podoces †Protocitta Psilorhinus Ptilostomus Pyrrhocorax Temnurus Urocissa Zavattariornis Dicruridae Dicrurus Ifritidae Ifrita Laniidae Eurocephalus Lanius Melampittidae Megalampitta Melampitta Monarchidae Monarchinae Arses Carterornis Chasiempis Clytorhynchus Grallina Mayrornis Metabolus Monarcha Myiagra Neolalage Pomarea Symposiachrus Terpsiphoninae Hypothymis Terpsiphone Trochocercus Paradisaeidae Astrapia Cicinnurus Diphyllodes Drepanornis Epimachus Lophorina Lycocorax Manucodia Paradigalla Paradisaea Paradisornis Parotia Phonygammus Pteridophora Ptiloris Seleucidis Semioptera Platylophidae Platylophus Rhipiduridae Lamproliinae Chaetorhynchus Eutrichomyias Lamprolia Rhipidurinae Rhipidura Vireonidae Cyclarhis Erpornis Hylophilus Pachysylvia Pteruthius Tunchiornis Vireo Vireolanius

• IUCN Red List least concern species
• Platysteiridae
• Birds of Southern Africa
• Birds described in 1838