The Magpie Shrike or Long-tailed Shrike – Corvinella melanoleuca – was Zulu King Shaka’s favourite bird. The Zulu names for the bird are isakabutle meaning “the scatterer of enemies” or ujomelameaning “King of Kings”.

The feathers of the Magpie Shrike were worn in the headdress and armbands of the fiercest Zulu warrior’s.

Magpie Shrike

The Magpie Shrike - Corvinella melanoleuca - is found in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It favours open savanna woodland with short grass clumps and bare ground, also occurring in broad-leaved woodland and disturbed areas with Acacia tree stands, such as in suburban gardens and town parks.

Description

The adult male has black and white plumage with very long, graduated tail. Head and mantle are glossy black. The scapulars are white. The rump is V-shaped and greyish-white, conspicuous in flight. On the black upperwing, tertials, secondaries, some primaries and the greater upperwing-coverts are black with white tips. In flight, the white patch near the primary bases is well visible. The long tail is black. The bill, legs and feet are black, the eyes are brown. The female is very similar, but she has white patches on flanks. The immature is browner and duller, with rather buffy-white areas than pure white. The underparts are dark brown with white-tipped feathers.  

Call

It utters loud, melancholy whistles “kee-oo, kee-oo” as territorial calls. The alarm call is a scolding “chack” or “tchzzrrr”. A breeding pair often calls in duet, “teeloo” by the male, and a higher-pitched “tleeu” by the female.  

Food

It mainly eats insects, spiders, ticks and small reptiles. It often perches in a prominent position, searching for a food item. Once it spots something it dives to the ground and catches it. It also gleans prey from leaves and branches, and sometimes searches for them at ground level.

Breeding

A cooperative breeder. The nest is constructed by both sexes and consists of an untidy cup made of twigs, grass stems and roots, typically placed in the upper branches of an Acacia tree. The breeding season peaks from October to January with the female laying 2 to 6 eggs. They are incubated solely by the female for about 16 days, the male and group members providing her with food. The chicks are cared for both parents and group members, leaving the nest after about 15 to 19 days.

Conservation Status – Least Concern

This species is not threatened. It has an extremely large range and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as uncommon to locally common.

Birdwatching

Ask Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures to create an Aves custom tour for you or book on one of the following Aves scheduled tours: -

Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves KZN Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves North East Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.