Wintering of long-tailed shrikes species of Lanius schach sensu Lato group in submontain region of Eastern Himalayan and possibility of their interspecific hybridization

We provided an ornithological investigations in lowlands sub mountain regions of North-Eastern India (mainly Assam state) during the February 2018. Wintering Shrikes species were at focus of especial interest. We found 16 speciments of Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus and 9 speciments of Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach tricolor. Wintering populations of these two species from “Long-tailed Shrikes” group are separated in territorial distribution: 8 from 9 speciments of Long-tailed Shrike were found in western part of region (West Bengal mainly) and 15 from 16 speciments of Grey-backed Shrike were found in Eastern part of region (Assam, mainly - central and eastern / upper Assam). Both species prefer tea plantations and open agrarian landscapes with scattered trees and bushes in western part of region, but on the east Long-tailed Shrike (1 bird) was found in open tea plantation and Grey-backed Shrike prefer a close tea plantations (with dense tree-cover of shading) and dense gardens in settlements...