Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) [XC828939]
by Ray Tsu \u8bf8\u4ec1 from , China (song)
Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius) [XC723870]
by Tiantian Zhao \u8d75\u5929\u5929 from , China (imitation, song, mimicry\/imitation)
Subspecies
Closely allied with Grey-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus), and formerly treated as conspecific, but differs in morphology. The two are largely sympatric and, although subspecies lahulensis of Grey-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus) sometimes considered to represent a hybrid population between them, there is no definite proof of interbreeding. Mainland subspecies tend to intergrade; intermediates between erythronotus and tricolor described as nigriceps.
Other proposed subspecies are formosae (described from Taiwan) and hainanus (from Hainan I), but both are considered inseparable from nominate. The name fuscatus, given to melanistic birds from south-eastern China and Hainan, has no taxonomic significance.
The following 9 subspecies are recognised:
erythronotus (Vigors, 1831) - Breeds south-eastern Kazakhstan, S
Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, southern Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and
Pakistan (except south-west) east to northern and north-central India; probably also north-eastern Iran.
caniceps Blyth, 1846 - North-central and peninsular India and N
Sri Lanka.
tricolor Hodgson, 1837 - Nepal and eastern India east to Myanmar,
southern China (southern Xizang, Yunnan), northern Laos and northern Thailand.
schach Linnaeus, 1758 - Central, southern and south-eastern China (including
Hainan), Taiwan and northern Vietnam (Tonkin and Annam).
longicaudatus Ogilvie-Grant, 1902 - Central, south-eastern and S
Thailand and southern Laos, possibly also southern Myanmar (Tenasserim).
bentet Horsfield, 1821 - Southern Malay Peninsula, Sumatra,
Java, south-eastern Borneo and Lesser Sunda Is (east to Timor).
nasutus Scopoli, 1786 - Philippines (except Palawan and
Sulu Is).
suluensis (Mearns, 1905) - Sulu Archipelago (Jolo), in S
Philippines.
stresemanni Mertens, 1923 - Eastern New Guinea (Huon Peninsula
and adjacent hinterland, southern slopes of mountains in south-east).