This shrike, first found on March 5, 2015, by Alison Cebula near the mouth of Alder Creek in Manchester State Park, Mendocino County, was initially identified as Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus), Red-backed Shrike (L. collurio) or Isabelline Shrike (L. isabellinus) - all Old World species - or a hybrid of two of those species. An in-depth analysis by Peter Pyle, Jon Dunn, Nial Moores and Robert Keiffer published in North American Birds concluded that it was a Red-backed x Turkestan Shrike (L. phoenicuroides) hybrid. Turkestan Shrike is also known as Red-tailed Shrike. The bird continued off and on in the same spot through at least April 16. These photos were taken April 4, 2015.
