Southern Fiscal

Lanius collaris Linnaeus, 1766

36 gWeight

The southern fiscal or fiscal shrike (Lanius collaris) is a member of the shrike family found through most of southern Africa.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Namibia, Eswatini

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Southern Fiscal has been recorded at 171 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 9 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Rietvlei NRSouth Africa1,239 records
West Coast NPSouth Africa871 records
Marievale Bird SanctuarySouth Africa820 records

More places

Walter Sisulu National Botanical GardenSouth Africa495 records
De Hoop Nature ReserveSouth Africa465 records
West Coast NP – Geelbek hides vicinitySouth Africa423 records
Delta ParkSouth Africa418 records
Kirstenhof WetlandSouth Africa399 records
Strandfontein WTPSouth Africa362 records
Suikerbosrand NRSouth Africa359 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South Africa Namibia Eswatini Zimbabwe Mozambique Botswana Lesotho Angola

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The southern fiscal or fiscal shrike (Lanius collaris) is a member of the shrike family found through most of southern Africa. It is also sometimes named jackie hangman or butcher bird due to its habit of impaling its prey on acacia thorns to store the food for later consumption. It was previously lumped together with the northern fiscal (Lanius humeralis).

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Southern Fiscal?

The Southern Fiscal weighs around 36 g.

Where does the Southern Fiscal live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Namibia, southwestern Angola east to southern Mozambique and southern South Africa; also northeastern, central, southwestern Tanzania and northern Malawi. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Namibia and Eswatini.

When is the best time to see the Southern Fiscal?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Southern Fiscal endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Southern Fiscal as Least Concern.

What does the Southern Fiscal eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Southern Fiscal in?

It belongs to the family Shrikes (Laniidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight: 36 g
Habitat: Grassland
Diet: Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle: Perches in trees
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 95 mm
Tail: 115 mm
Bill: 20 mm
Tarsus: 26 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: Namibia, southwestern Angola east to southern Mozambique and southern South Africa; also northeastern, central, southwestern Tanzania and northern Malawi

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2