The Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) is native to parts of Europe and western Asia. Its geographical distribution extends from the Atlantic coast of Europe across the continent to western Russia and parts of Central Asia. During migration, it can also be found in sub-Saharan Africa where it winters.

The Red-backed Shrike typically inhabits open countryside with scattered bushes and small trees, which it uses as hunting perches. It favors areas with a mix of grassland and scrub or hedgerows. The species is often found in the edges of forests, farmland, and heathlands. The climate in its native breeding grounds varies from temperate to continental, with cold winters and warm, dry summers.

Lanius collurio occupies an ecological niche as a small carnivorous bird. It feeds primarily on large insects, small reptiles, and occasionally small mammals and birds. The shrike is known for its characteristic feeding behavior, which includes impaling its prey on thorns or barbed wire fences as a way to store food and mark territory.