Dave Watts / Male Red backed shrike (Lanius collurio) feeding on a mouse at its larder, France, June.

Bert Willaert / Falconer showing his juvenile Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) used to catch birds of prey for domestication, with eye hood, Georgia, September 2011. No release available.

Bert Willaert / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) being caught by a falconer using a Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) as bait, Georgia, September 2011.

Markus Varesvuo / Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) male perched on branch, Finland May

Wild Wonders of Europe / López / Red backed shrike (Lanius collurio) on branch, Latvia, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Nill / Red-backed Shrike male (Lanius collurio) male perched on Musk thistle (Carduus nutans) Bulgaria, May 2008 UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMERCIAL USE WITHOUT PRIOR CONSENT

Wild Wonders of Europe / Nill / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) male feeding on flower spike, Bulgaria, May 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Nill / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) pair, male feeding insect to female in courtship, Bulgaria, May 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Nill / Red-backed shrike male (Lanius collurio) perched on Denseflower mullein (Verbascum densiflorum) Bulgaria, May 2008

Dave Watts / Red backed shrike male {Lanius collurio} at its larder with butterfly + lizard impaled on shrub. Pyrenees, France

Alain Ghignone/ BIA / Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) mother feeding fledgling, Aosta Valley, Italy

Hermann Brehm / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), female feeding the chicks, Germany

Hermann Brehm / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), female with chicks gaping, begging for food, Germany

Hermann Brehm / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), female feeding the chicks with part of a mouse, Germany

Hermann Brehm / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), male feeding the chicks, Germany

Hermann Brehm / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), male feeding femalesitting on nest incubating, Germany

Hermann Brehm / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), male feeding incubating female, Germany

Hermann Brehm / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), male feeding female sitting on nest incubating, Germany

Hermann Brehm / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), female, on nest, Germany

Hermann Brehm / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), male, Germany

Robin Chittenden / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) perched on Umbellifer (Apiaceae) stem. Waxham, Norfolk, England, UK. September.

Robin Chittenden / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) perched on branch. Waxham, Norfolk, England, UK. September.

Robin Chittenden / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) perched on Umbellifer (Apiaceae). Waxham, Norfolk, England, UK. September.

David Perpinan / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), adult with a locust ready to go to nest to feed chicks, Pyrenees, Catalonia, Spain, June.

Andres M. Dominguez / Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) male perched in Dog-rosehips (Rosa canina). Danube Delta, Romania. July

Paul Hobson / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) male perched on branch. Hungary. May.

Paul Hobson / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) female perched on branch. Hungary. May.

Paul Hobson / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) male perched on branch. Hungary. May.

Mike Read / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) female perched on dead branch, Kiskunsag National Park, near Tiszaalpar, Hungary, June.

Mike Read / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) male perched on National Park sign, Kiskunsag National Park, near Tiszaalpar, Hungary, June.

Andres M. Dominguez / Male Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), Cantabria, Spain, August.

Markus Varesvuo / Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) flying, Hungary, May.

Markus Varesvuo / Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) flying, Hungary, May.

Cyril Ruoso / Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) male, Burgundy, France, June.

Cyril Ruoso / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) male, Burgundy, France, June.

Andres M. Dominguez / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) male perched on perched on Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) with berries. Cantabria, Spain, August.

Kerstin Hinze / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) flying with bank vole (Myodes glareolus) Lower Saxony, Germany, May.

Kerstin Hinze / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) taking off with prey, Lower Saxony, Germany, May.

Kerstin Hinze / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) adult, male, Lower Saxony, Germany, June.

Kerstin Hinze / Red backed shrike (Lanius collurio) attacking Common cuckoo (Cuculus canonus) juvenile, Lower Saxony, Germany. July.

Kerstin Hinze / Red backed shrike (Lanius collurio) attacking Common cuckoo (Cuculus canonus) juvenile, Lower Saxony, Germany. July.

Kerstin Hinze / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) adult male, with insect prey in its beak, Lower Saxony, Germany, June.

Kerstin Hinze / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) adult male, with insect prey in its beak, Lower Saxony, Germany, June.

Kerstin Hinze / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) adult male, Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany, June.

Kerstin Hinze / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) adult male taking off, Lower Saxony, Germany, June. Sequence 3 of 3

Kerstin Hinze / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) adult male taking off, Lower Saxony, Germany, June. Sequence 2 of 3

Kerstin Hinze / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) adult male taking off, Lower Saxony, Germany, June. Sequence 1 of 3

Neil Aldridge / Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) perched on an acacia bush, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa