Shrikes (Laniidae)

Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor) - HBW 13, p. 785

French: Pie-grièche à poitrine rose German: Schwarzstirnwürger Spanish: Alcaudón Chico

Taxonomy: Lanius minor J. F. Gmelin, 1788, Italy, Spain, Russia = Italy.
Affiliations uncertain; nearest relative seems to be L. schach. Geographical variation insignificant and clinal, plumage coloration becoming paler and size larger from W to E; species sometimes treated as monotypic. Two subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

minor J. F. Gmelin, 1788 - breeds NE Spain and S France, Italy (from Piemont E to Venezia, S patchily to Sicily), E Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Balkans (S to N Greece and E to Black Sea), also S Lithuania, Belarus and SW Russia (E to Urals, S to Crimea and Caucasus), S to Turkey, N Syria, Lebanon and N Iraq; non-breeding S Africa.
turanicus Fediushin, 1927 - breeds W Siberia (E of Ural Mts) E to Russian Altai and extreme NW China (NW Xinjiang), S to Azerbaijan and NW & N Iran, N Turkmenistan and NE Afghanistan); non-breeding S Africa.