tsheunglai

Hello

I'm afraid but to conclude that the Brown Shrike you've photoed is an escape/released bird.
The tail and primary tips are badly damaged and must have lost some of its retrices. See
also its back, wing coverts and breast feathers, all ruffled to an amazing degree!

I do hope its instinct or fellow birds might help him back to its home and survive!

S L Tai

tsheunglai

Dear Pete

Different Brown Shrikes might have been at the same location. If you're right, the bird then possibly
been unnaturally harassed.

Another possibility is that it has taken a 'stormy' and long bath that it subsequently gets such
a 'wet' and ruffled look.

Anyhow, Paul Leader may help to settle the case in question.

I'm a learner, a keen one and having been trying myself to be objective, though knowledge-wise sometimes
in want.

S L Tai

tsheunglai

John

I'm glad you play the role of a wild/captive bird judge fairly.

I also noticed the tail feathers of some much shorter than fully grown, indicating
that they are growing. The spring time for a wintering bird also sprang to my mind having
the edge of moulting fully ready before its long journey to the north.

But the points raised by Pete that the bird is approachable, showing its naturally abilities
to prey on worms on the ground and pluming its own body are instinctive for all birds for the
latter two reasons, albeit wild or captive. They are defences easily taken up to be thrown back upon him!

This bird, in case it be the same photoed by quite a  number of other photographers is a fact
also known to me as one of them Joey Lam is my friend.

Anyhow, the Brown Shrike must be once wild and as a species naturally occurring in Hong Kong
is beyond dispute. I've never doubted or wanted to repudiated these facts. Therefore kindly
take my previous and present presentations as a suggestion and everybody will be happy to close this
particular forum with arguments on both sides duly weighted.

S L Tai