From Mongolia to Malabar: rare bird Isabelline shrike spotted in Kannur

 

ABDUL LATHEEF NAHA, 

MALAPPURAM, The Hindu, 3/2/2026

Birdwatchers in Kannur have sighted an Isabelline shrike, a rare migratory bird believed to have arrived from the Mongolian region during the winter season. This marks the first recorded sighting of the species in Malabar and only the second in Kerala.

The bird was spotted a few days ago at Katampally in Kannur by a team led by Jayan Thomas and Afsar Nayakan.

Recorded only once

The identification took several days, as the Isabelline shrike closely resembles the more commonly seen Brown shrike and had been recorded only once earlier in the State.

District Police Chief (Kannur City) Nidhin Raj and senior birder C. Mohan were among the bird enthusiasts who joined the team in observing the rare visitor.

“We took multiple photographs of the bird and shared them with experts across the country. While many initially identified it as a Brown shrike, our doubts persisted,” said Dr. Thomas.

“We then consulted Graham Walbridge, a British birder and field ornithologist renowned for his expertise in migrant birds and rarities, who confirmed that it was indeed an Isabelline shrike, a rare sight in South India.”

An ophthalmologist by profession, Dr. Thomas said the sighting was a moment of great excitement. “The bird migration season is one of nature’s great wonders and a source of pure joy for birders like me,” he said.

Migrates to Pakistan

Characterised by its sandy-brown plumage, partial eye mask and reddish tail, the Isabelline shrike breeds in Mongolia and China and migrates to north India, Pakistan and Africa during winter.

“It rarely reaches South India. We have been observing the bird for several days and expect it to continue its journey to Africa before returning to Mongolia,” Dr. Thomas said.

The bird derives its name ‘shrike’ from its loud, shrieking call and is also known as the ‘butcher bird’ for its habit of impaling prey on fences or barbed wire.

“We were thrilled to watch it foraging on a caterpillar. It also feeds on large insects, small birds and rodents,” said Dr. Thomas. The term ‘Isabelline’ is believed to originate from Queen Isabella of Spain, referring to an off-white or sandy-brown colour.

The team pointed out that the Katampally wetlands provide an ideal feeding habitat for migratory birds.

“Preserving this wetland is crucial for maintaining the ecological balance,” Dr. Thomas said.