TIGER SHRIKE – Vietnam national bird
The national bird of Vietnam is Tiger Shrike. It is found in the northern provinces of Vietnam, particularly around Hanoi and Haiphong. The habitat of Tiger Shrike is the forested mountains of central and northern Vietnam, where it occurs at altitudes between 300 and 2,000 m.
The Tiger Shrike also known as Thick-billed Shrike is a small passerine bird which belongs to the shrike family and native to much of Southeast Asia from India and Sri Lanka south to South China and Taiwan. The Tiger Shrike is a small bird that can be found in a variety of habitats, but prefers open areas with lots of trees.
Scientific Classification of Tiger Shrike
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Laniidae
Genus: Lanius
Species: L. tigrinus
Physical Description
The shrike is a large bird, about 40 cm long. It has a long tail and strong legs for catching prey on the ground or in trees. Its plumage is mostly brown with black stripes on its back and wings. The male and female look similar to each other but the female has a speckled breast while the male has an orange-red breast with black streaks on it.
The Tiger Shrike is a small, stocky bird with a large head and powerful bill. It is brown above, with black and white barring below. The tail is dark brown with white barring above and below.
Facts of Tiger shrike
- The Tiger Shrike is a species of bird in the Laniidae family. It is found in Angola, Cameroon and also in different regions of Vietnam.
- The Tiger Shrike feeds on insects, lizards, mice, small birds and bird eggs.
- The average weight of a male is 22 grams (0.78 ounces) and the female weighs 16 grams (0.56 ounces). The maximum weight recorded for this species was 25 grams (0.88 ounces).
- The speed of a tiger shrike can be anywhere between 35-40km/h during flight or when chasing prey
- The average lifespan for this species is 2 to 4 years.