On April 8, 2022, in the area of KSM Ruda, we discovered the presence of an unusual bird. It was a small bird with a predatory lifestyle - the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio)
After analyzing the data on the website Ornitho.pl and the international EuroBird, it turned out that this is the first individual in Poland in 2022! The observation is unique because this bird winters in Africa and does not return to our country until May
We managed to establish that the observed subject is a male. There is a clear sexual dimorphism in red-backed birds. The male has a black, hook-shaped beak. It also has a black mask around the eyes, a light gray head down to the nape of the neck and a white, slightly brownish underside of the body on the sides. On the other hand, the rump and the tail covers are gray. Males also have brown wings and top of the body. The bird we observed had all these elements
The red-backed shrike observed the area from the overhead power line for a long time. This is also typical behavior of this bird. In order to get food, it must sit in exposed places and wait for its victim
The uniqueness of this observation is also related to the FBI index, which is a description of the agricultural landscape. This indicator is established for 22 species of birds, including: red-backed shrikes, lapwings, larks, barn swallows, corn buntings and starlings. We found each of these birds during our last stay, and the bird list was entered into a nationwide database
