Red-Backed Shrike Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)
Red-Backed Shrikes once nested in the UK in large numbers but numbers declined rapidly during the 20th century and they are now classified as a UK Red List species. These small passerines, which are slightly larger than a House Sparrow only slimmer, are easy to identify.
Males have a bluish-grey head with a black mask, a bright chestnut-brown back and a thick black bill. The underparts are pale pink with a white-grey undertail. Females are similar to males but lack the vibrancy of colour and have brown upperparts, brown wings, a yellowish underwing and a white belly. They have a grey nape with a brown head and no mask, just a dark brown-grey line behind the eye.
The bill of both male and female Red-Backed Shrikes curves downwards at the tip. To find out more about these fascinating little birds, keep reading.
Table of Contents
How Long Does A Red-Backed Shrike Live?
The Red-Backed Shrike has an average lifespan of around 3 to 5 years in the wild. However, there have been individual birds that have achieved the age of 10 years according to ring data.
Although they have all but died out as breeding birds in the UK and are classified on the UK Red List for endangered species, elsewhere they appear to be thriving. In May 2024 there were an estimated 2.4 to 4.8 million Red-Backed Shrikes worldwide.
This figure includes an estimated 14.9 to 28.6 million mature individual birds in Europe. With an estimated European breeding population of somewhere between 7.4 and 14.3 million pairs.
How Fast Can A Red-Backed Shrike Fly?
Although the Red-Backed Shrike is a relatively small, slim bird, it can reach an impressive top speed when flying. Red-Backed Shrike can fly at speeds of up to 34 mph (55 km/h).
They fly long distances from their European breeding grounds to their wintering grounds in Africa.
Are Red-Backed Shrikes Aggressive?
Red-Backed Shrikes are known to be one of the most aggressive birds in the world. They are extremely territorial and will defend their nests with vigour. They are known to physically attack any intruders, even humans.
They will also attack other birds including any that are not competitors or potential prey. They select their nesting sites in locations that allow them to spot any potential predators quickly so that they can fight back or escape after having enough time to prepare.
In years gone by, Cuckoos used to lay their eggs in the nests of the Red-Backed Shrike. But Red-Backed Shrikes have learned to identify the eggs of the Cuckoo and eject them from their nests. They will also attack any Cuckoos seen in the vicinity of their nesting sites.
Red-Backed Shrikes have the nickname of “the butcher bird” due to their practice of impaling their prey from thorns, sharp twigs and branches or barbed wire fences. They leave their impaled prey and just take the choice parts as food and leave the rest as a territorial marker.
What Is A Red-Backed Shrike’s Habitat?
Red-Backed Shrikes prefer open habitats with occasional trees, shrubs and bushes like; overgrown orchards, heathland and open farmland. They can also be found on the edges of forests, meadows and juniper stands.
Red-Backed Shrikes will perch on bushes, branches or fence posts when hunting for food. They hunt in areas that include low growing grasses interspersed with taller shrubs and bushes. However, they also need an open environment where they can spot prey or potential threats from a distance. Which is why they can often be spotted in woodland openings or logging sites.
How Long Does It Take For A Red-Backed Shrike To Build A Nest?
If conditions are right, the Red-Backed Shrike can build its nest in around 3 to 4 days. But it typically takes around 6 days for the nest to be completed.
The nest itself is built in dense hedgerows and is an untidy sprawl of green plant stems, grasses and roots, lined with moss, fur and hair. They prefer thorny hedges like hawthorn as nest building sites.
Eggs
Once the nest has been successfully established, the female will lay her eggs.
When Do Red-Backed Shrikes Lay Eggs?
Red-Backed Shrikes typically start breeding in mid May and can lay eggs up until mid to late August. They will typically lay eggs from May to June and will usually only lay a single brood.
However, if the first brood fails and they started early enough in the season, the pair might attempt a second brood.
How Many Eggs Does A Red-Backed Shrike Lay?
Red-Backed Shrikes lay anywhere between 3 to 8 eggs with an average clutch containing around 5 eggs. The eggs are incubated solely by the female with the male on hand to provide her with food and protection.
What Do Red-Backed Shrike Eggs Look Like?
Red-Backed Shrike eggs are oval shaped, pale green, olive, pink or buff in colour with reddish-brown, olive or grey spots mainly at the larger end. The eggs are around 22 x 17 mm in size and weigh around 3.2 grams.
How Long Do Red-Backed Shrike Eggs Take To Hatch?
The eggs are incubated by the female for around 13 to 16 days before they hatch. The incubation period begins once the last egg has been laid.
The female attends the eggs at all times only leaving the nest for brief periods. During this time, the male provides her with food and is on guard in case of any intruders or predators.
Chicks
Once the incubation period has ended, we move on to the next stage in the life cycle of the Red-Backed Shrike, the chick rearing stage.
How Many Chicks Does A Red-Backed Shrike Have?
The number of chicks should correspond to the number of eggs laid. However, this is not always the case as some eggs are infertile and don’t develop.
From an average brood of 6 eggs we can expect around 3 to 4 healthy chicks to hatch.
When Do Red-Backed Shrike Chicks Open Their Eyes?
Like all altricial chicks, the chicks of the Red-Backed Shrike are naked and blind when they first hatch. They rely on their parents for food, protection and temperature regulation.
The chicks generally open their eyes around the 5th day after hatching. In the first week of their lives, the chicks are fed solely by the male and it’s not until their second week that both parents will bring the young chicks food.
When Do Red-Backed Shrike Chicks Fledge?
Red-Backed Shrike chicks typically fledge around 14 to 16 days after hatching. After the chicks have been fed and nurtured by their parents and have grown the necessary muscles and feathers needed to make their first flight, they will leave the nest.
Even after the chicks fledge, their parents continue to care for them. It’s not until around 26 days after hatching that Red-Backed Shrike chicks begin to hunt for themselves. It’s typically another 10 days until they become fully independent.
SEE ALSO: Nightingale Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)
Frequently Asked Questions
The average lifespan of a Red-Backed Shrike is around 3 to 5 years in the wild. There have been isolated cases of individual birds surviving to the age of 10 years according to ring records.
The eggs of the Red-Backed Shrike are pale green, olive, pink or buff in colour with reddish-brown, olive or grey spots mainly at the larger end.
Red backed shrikes used to have a large breeding population in the UK. Sadly their numbers in the UK have dwindled with only one or two pairs being recorded as breeding in areas which are being kept undisclosed.
