The center of this group's radiation is probably in the eastern Mediterranean region, and the Southern Grey Shrike represents the basalmost form.

The Southern Grey Shrike, Lanius meridionalis, is a member of the shrike family.

Southern Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis)

The courtship period is generally longer than in the Southern Grey Shrike (L. meridionalis), usually starting about March and lasting to April/May.

The Southern Grey Shrike (L. meridionalis) was formerly included in the Great Grey Shrike as subspecies.

It is similar in appearance to the Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor and the Southern Grey Shrike L. meridionalis.

Southern Grey Shrike have been observed preying on an adult Laughing Dove in northwestern India while the Lizard Buzzard is a predator of the species in Africa.

It prefers different habitat - lightly wooded grassland in the Great, more arid shrubland in the Southern Grey Shrike - and where the species' ranges overlap, they do not hybridize at present (though they may have done so in past millennia).

The Southern Grey Shrike is clearer and usually darker grey above, and not tinged grey but often decidedly pinkish on the belly and particular breast; the white "eyebrow" extends to over the beak, which has typically a larger pale base.