Emin's shrike

Emin's shrike (Lanius gubernator) is a species of passerine bird in the family Laniidae, the shrikes. This species has a scattered distribution across Africa from the Ivory Coast east to South Sudan and Uganda.

Emin's shrike is similar in plumage to the red-backed shrike but it is smaller and darker. It has a black mask from the base of the bill through the eye to the ear coverts which separates the grey crown and nape from the white throat. The upperparts are brown without the grey rump shown by the red-backed shrike and the breast, belly and undertail coverts are datk buff rather tha the red-backed shrike's pinkish underparts. The black tail has white sides and a white tip and there is an obvious patch of white on the primaries. This is not a highly sexually dimorphic species , the females are duller versions of the males with a browner back and the grey head having a brownish tinge. The juveniles are brownish barred with blackish on the upper parts with blackish barred pale tawny underparts. This is the smallest species in the genus Lanius with a length of 14 or 15 cm (5.5 or 5.9 in).