If you have ever watched a shrike, you will see that it looks like a songbird. It has black, white and brown feathers. Its head is black with a gray crest. It has two red eyes. The bird has a long, thin beak. The shrike is small and weighs only a few ounces. It is native to South Africa.
There are about 100 species of shrikes in the world. All of them have metal spines on their beaks. This is what gives them their name. The metal spines help metal birds the bird kill its prey. The shrike has no trouble catching insects and other birds. It will attack anything that is bigger than itself. The bird’s body is very slender. It doesn’t weigh much. It uses its spiny beak to cut into its prey.
Shrikes usually eat snakes and other small animals. The bird’s head swivels as it watches for its prey. It grabs its food by the neck. Then it stabs the prey with its sharp spines. In the wild, the shrikes eat insects, reptiles, and other birds. Sometimes, they will eat mice or rats. Shrikes will also eat small fish and frogs. If you see one of these birds, you should leave it alone. If you approach it, it will attack you.
