East Africa hosts diverse shrikes. Hooked-billed predators impaling prey on thorns. The common fiscal shrike is everywhere. A black-and-white sentinel perching conspicuously, hunting insects, lizards, and small birds.

Long-tailed fiscal shrikes patrol thornbush, while grey-backed fiscals prefer woodlands. Northern white-crowned shrikes flash white wing patches in arid regions.

The spectacular magpie shrike is glossy black with long tail inhabits dry savannas in family groups. Red-backed shrikes arrive as migrants.

True shrikes are fearless, tackling prey nearly their own size, maintaining larders of impaled victims on acacia thorns.

Watch them on game drives. Motionless on exposed perches, then sudden strikes ending with prey carried to thorny “butcher shops.