Southern Grey Shrike

Description:

The Southern Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis) is closely related to the Northern Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) which it was previously considered conspecific. 
Where the two species co-occur, they do not interbreed and are separated by choice of habitat.
The Southern Grey Shrike is slightly smaller and darker than the Northern Grey Shrike, and prefers dry open country.

A paper published in 2010 suggested different possible (new) taxonomic treatments, with an option being to treat the southern birds as 3 separate species.
This position has been adopted by several authorities but opinions are still divided:

1. Desert Grey Shrike (Lanius elegans with taxa: elegans, koenigi and algeriensis);
2. Iberian Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis); and
3. Asian Grey Shrike (Lanius lahtora with taxa: lahtora, pallidirostris and aucheri).

Males and females Southern (and Northern) Grey Shrikes are similar in plumage, grey above with a black eye-mask and white underparts.

My above photo's show Southern Grey Shrikes, and if the above 3 separate species are generally recognized, Iberian Grey Shrikes (Lanius meridionalis).

1st & 2nd photo: Cáceres area, Extremadura, Spain, 23 August 2011
3rd photo: Coto Doñana National Park, Spain, 22 October 2015
4th photo: Monfragüe National Park, Extremadura, Spain, 25 August 2011

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