They aren’t shrikes, they aren’t thrushes, and along with their grey feathers they have brown, white, buff, olive and maybe russet depending on which part of the country they call home.
1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 800, focal length 560mm
Canon 5DSR, Canon 200-400 L IS USM EXT
They have relatively subdued colouring but their voices, as their scientific name suggests, are absolutely stunning. I love hearing their melodious song ringing out in my garden. You may remember I mentioned the Grey Shrike-thrush that sat on the sill of my open car window and sang while I was in regional Victoria checking for birds that had been injured (or killed and abandoned) during the Victorian duck shooting season; it was truly magical.
1/800, f/4.0, ISO 3200
Canon R5, Canon 600 f/4 L IS USM
The first photograph was taken in the Mallee, how I love the Mallee! The photograph above was taken in my garden, how I love my garden! This season is the first time I’ve noticed Grey Shrike-thrushes foraging on the grass rather than tossing leaf litter around in the bushland. This bird seems to have its head slightly tilted which makes me wonder whether it is listening for prey the way that Common Blackbirds, and other species, do.
Happy birding, Kim
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