Lanius erythrocephalus. Lan. Collurio, rufus, et pomeranus,
LINNÆUS; La Pie Grièche rousse, BUFFON; Der rothköpfige
Würger, BECHSTEIN.
This is smaller and more delicate than the former species, being only
seven inches long, of which the tail measures three and a half; the
folding wings cover one third; the beak is eight lines in length, and
black; the iris greyish yellow; the shanks bluish black; the forehead
black, from the base of which a band of the same colour extends over the
eyes. The tail feathers are also black, but the outer ones only so to
the middle, the rest being white.
The female only differs from the male in its colour being less brilliant.
HABITATION.--When wild it is a bird of passage, arriving at the end of
April, and departing about the middle of September[17]. It inhabits
mountains, forests, and wooded plains, but prefers enclosed pastures
where horses are kept day and night.
In confinement it requires the same treatment as the preceding.
FOOD.--In its wild state it prefers beetles, the dung of cows and
horses, maybugs, grasshoppers, breeze-flies, and other insects; it
often also darts upon lizards and young quails.
In a state of confinement it is fed like the preceding; but being
more delicate it is better to rear it from the nest, feeding it on
raw meat. If an old bird be taken, it is impossible to preserve it
unless it be constantly fed on live insects.
BREEDING.--The woodchat commonly builds its nest on the thick and
bushy branches of large trees, and makes it of small sticks, moss,
hogs' bristles, wool and fur. The female breeds twice, laying each
time six reddish-white eggs, marked particularly at the large end
with distinct red spots, mixed with pale ones of a bluish grey. The
young ones are hatched in fifteen days; their colour, before the
first moulting, is on the upper part, dirty white, spotted with grey;
the under part is also dirty white, clouded with pale grey; the wing
coverts are bordered with rust colour; the quill feathers and tail
are black.
MODE OF TAKING.--A cruel method, but the surest, is to place bird-lime
on its nest, this being the most wary species of shrike; but as it
bathes freely it may be taken about the middle of the day at its
washing place, if near hedges. It is often found drowned in large
ponds.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--Although this species appears endowed with as
good a memory as the preceding, its notes are less agreeable, not
being so soft, and it introduces some stanzas of its own shrill and
harsh warbling into the songs that it imitates, which are those of
the nightingale, linnet, redstart, and goldfinch. But this bird is
most admired for its beautiful plumage.