Brown shrike

　The Brown shrike (Lanius cristatus lucionensis) is one of the most commonly seen birds on Ishigaki Island in winter. It is a subspecies of endangered species, the Japanese brown shrike (Lanius cristatus superciliosus) It used to breed in southern Kyushu, but now it seems to be wintering in the Nansei Islands, having migrated from the continent. Compared to the other subspecies, Lanius cristatus lucionensis is characterised by its generally greyish colouration.
　In English and French, the shrike is synonymous with noisy or quarrelsome birds because of its noisy voice. In Japan, on the other hand, the kanji 百舌鳥 for “bird with a hundred tongues” is assigned to the bird, as it imitates the calls of other birds.
Expressions for birds are quite interesting as they show the character of the country.