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Beautiful, colourful, often fearless hunters of large insects and small vertebrates, shrikes are among the most admired of all avian groups. The group is widespread (particularly in the Old World) with a large number of species, though many populations have plummeted in recent years, especially in Europe.
This is a second edition of Norbert Lefranc's Shrikes, fully updated from its 1997 predecessor. The introductory texts have been significantly expanded and six new sections have been added in the species accounts: vagrancy, foraging behaviour, breeding success, population trends, conservation and taxonomic notes. Special attention has been given to the latest developments in shrike systematics, not forgotten by the DNA revolution. The species accounts give information about the past and current distribution, along with threats and conservation status. Detailed and fully revised maps accompany the authoritative text, along with hundreds of high-quality photos showcasing racial and ageing differences as well as interesting aspects of shrike behaviour. An exceptional new series of plates by Tim Worfolk have been created, with more individual plumages shown than in the previous edition.
This beautiful book represents the definitive account of shrikes and their relationships, appearance, conservation and lifestyle; it will be treasured by birdwatchers and professional ornithologists alike.
Introduction
Acknowledgements
Style and layout of the book
Taxonomy and relationships
A brief historical approach
True shrike systematics
Overview of the genus Lanius
Overview of the genus Eurocephalus
Colour plates
Species accounts
Bibliography
Index
Norbert Lefranc is a French ornithologist specialising in the ecology of shrikes. He has travelled all over the world in search of shrikes and other birds, publishing many papers and four books, including Les Pies-grièches d’Europe, d’Afrique du Nord et du Moyen-Orient (1993) and the first edition of the present book (1997). He worked as a biodiversity officer for the Ministry of Ecology in the ‘Grand Est’. Now retired, he spends his time contributing to research and conservation actions led by NGOs, particularly by the Société d’Etudes Ornithologiques de France (SEOF) and the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO/Birdlife France).
Tim Worfolk has been a full-time bird illustrator since 1994 (the original Shrikes was his first commission). His work has appeared in dozens of field guides, handbooks and scientific papers. He has visited many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America in search of shrikes and other birds but, for environmental reasons, has now given up air travel. Since 1999 he has lived by the Exe Estuary in Devon, England where he mostly gets around by bicycle.
"[...] Author Lefranc is a French ornithologist who has specialized in the ecology of shrikes for decades. His exhaustive studies have taken him across the world in his quest for more knowledge and have culminated in a masterful text, no mean feat given the complexities that lie within some members of the group. For those who already own the widely acclaimed first edition, there are plenty of advancements within the expansive, exhaustive text (that does, of course, still lean heavily on the words from 1997) to ensure that it is worth a second purchase."
– Mark Golley, Ibis, 2023
"No doubt that this magnificent book will contribute to a better understanding of these wonderful birds and become an inspiration for the next generation of birders and professional ornithologists alike."
– Dries Van Nieuwenhuyse
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