Masked Shrike - Cultural References

Cultural References

• In the 1963 movie The Great Escape, a P.O.W. named Colin (Donald Pleasence) teaches bird identification lessons. In the scene, there is a drawing of a masked shrike on a blackboard, which Colin describes as "the butcherbird", plumed in "uniform black above, from head to tail". At this point a black-clad prison camp guard is seen entering. Colin continues his description, describing the behaviour of the bird as "unlovable". The guard comments that he has "better things to do than draw birds", after which Colin continues that the Shrike's voice "is a monotonous succession of scratchy, complaining notes."