The Red-backed Shrike is slightly large than Sparrow. The male have rusty-brown mantle, grey crown and black mask; underparts are white pinkish tinged especially well expressed on flanks and breast. From the Great Grey and Lesser Grey Shrikes the male distinguishes by the intensive rusty-brown mantle; from the Brown, Turkestan and Isabelline Shrikes by the clear grey crown and black-white tail; from the Long-tailed Shrike by the shorter tail. The autumn plumage is generally similar on the spring one. The female coloring is variable; some females are almost as bright as males; but mostly female is grayish-brown above and brownish-white with brown scaly pattern below. Juveniles are similar on female but differ by the scaly pattern on the mantle. This pattern is kept after the summer (in August) molting. The main difference from the juvenile Turkestan Shrikes is the presentation of white on tail feathers. Weight 25-38 grams, length 18-21, wing 8,4-9,9, wingspan 28-31 cm.
В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург, Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.
