Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus, is a very rare vagrant to the North American
continent; breeding range is Siberia, W to Mongolia, China and Japan,
wintering from India through S China to Indonesia and the Philippines. I
believe there are nine records for this species, five in AK, two in CA and one
in Nova Scotia.

Isabelline Shrike, Lanius isabellinus, is also an asian species ranging from
Iran and Kazakhstan through Mongolia and NW and N China, wintering Africa
through India. This species has not been recorded in North America, but is a
rare vagrant to the Western Palearctic and could potentially show up here.

These two species are most closely related to the Red-backed Shrike, Lanius
collurio, a widespread but declining species from Europe through central Asia.

Both of these species should be considered when viewing a brownish shrike on
the west coast of North America during the fall and observers would be wise not
to casually write off these individuals as the expected species, an immature
Northern Shrike. One never knows if he or she is looking at WA's first record
of Brown Shrike or NA's first Isabelline.

Alan


______________________________
Alan J. Knue
Steve McDonald
tuftedpuffin at earthlink.net
Seattle WA