Loggerhead Shrike
Encyclopedia
The Loggerhead Shrike is a passerine
bird
. It is the only member of the shrike
family endemic
to North America
; the related Northern Shrike (L. excubitor) occurs north of its range but also in the Palearctic
.
The bird has a large hooked bill; the head and back are grey and the underparts white. The wings and tail are black, with white patches on the wings and white on the outer tail feather. The black face mask extends over the bill, unlike that of the similar but slightly larger Northern Shrike.
The bird breeds in semi-open areas in southern Ontario
, Quebec
and the Canadian prairie provinces, south to Mexico
. It nests in dense trees and shrubs. The female lays 4 to 8 eggs in a bulky cup made of twigs and grass. There is an increase in average clutch size as latitude increases.
The shrike is a permanent resident in the southern part of the range; northern birds migrate
further south.
The bird waits on a perch with open lines of sight and swoops down to capture prey. Its food is large insects and lizards . Known in many parts as the "Butcher Bird," it impales its prey on thorns or barbed wire before eating it, because it does not have the talon
s of the larger birds of prey
.
The population of this species has declined in the northeastern parts of its range, possibly due to loss of suitable habitat and pesticide
use.
"Loggerhead" refers to the relatively large head as compared to the rest of the body.
and McGill University in 1997. In 2001 an experimental field breeding and release program managed by Wildlife Preservation Canada
was established. "Field breeding" refers to moving captive pairs from their wintering cages at the Toronto Zoo and McGill to large enclosures within shrike habitat in Ontario where the pairs nest and raise their young and then the young are released to the wild when they'd naturally disperse from their parents. Since 2004 over 90 young have been released annually and between 2% and 6.5% of young released have successfully migrated and returned to breed in the subsequent year. Preser.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
. It is the only member of the shrike
Shrike
Shrikes are passerine birds of the family Laniidae. The family is composed of thirty-one species in three genera. The family name, and that of the largest genus, Lanius, is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes were also known as "butcher birds" because of their feeding habits...
family endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
; the related Northern Shrike (L. excubitor) occurs north of its range but also in the Palearctic
Palearctic
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is one of the eight ecozones dividing the Earth's surface.Physically, the Palearctic is the largest ecozone...
.
The bird has a large hooked bill; the head and back are grey and the underparts white. The wings and tail are black, with white patches on the wings and white on the outer tail feather. The black face mask extends over the bill, unlike that of the similar but slightly larger Northern Shrike.
The bird breeds in semi-open areas in southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and the Canadian prairie provinces, south to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It nests in dense trees and shrubs. The female lays 4 to 8 eggs in a bulky cup made of twigs and grass. There is an increase in average clutch size as latitude increases.
The shrike is a permanent resident in the southern part of the range; northern birds migrate
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
further south.
The bird waits on a perch with open lines of sight and swoops down to capture prey. Its food is large insects and lizards . Known in many parts as the "Butcher Bird," it impales its prey on thorns or barbed wire before eating it, because it does not have the talon
Claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. However, the word "claw" is also often used in reference to an invertebrate. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end...
s of the larger birds of prey
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
.
The population of this species has declined in the northeastern parts of its range, possibly due to loss of suitable habitat and pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
use.
"Loggerhead" refers to the relatively large head as compared to the rest of the body.
Conservation status
The Eastern Loggerhead Shrike (L.l. migrans) is critically endangered in Canada. (Although only one island subspecies is legally listed as endangered in the United States, the species is declining continentwide and no longer occurs in most of the northeastern U.S.) A captive population was established at the Toronto ZooToronto Zoo
The Toronto Zoo is a zoo located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It opened August 15, 1974 as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo and is owned by the City of Toronto; the word "Metropolitan" was dropped from its name when the cities of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto were amalgamated to form the...
and McGill University in 1997. In 2001 an experimental field breeding and release program managed by Wildlife Preservation Canada
Wildlife Preservation Canada
Wildlife Preservation Canada is a non-profit, non-governmental organization working on conservation and captive breeding issues in Canada. It is headquartered in Guelph, Ontario....
was established. "Field breeding" refers to moving captive pairs from their wintering cages at the Toronto Zoo and McGill to large enclosures within shrike habitat in Ontario where the pairs nest and raise their young and then the young are released to the wild when they'd naturally disperse from their parents. Since 2004 over 90 young have been released annually and between 2% and 6.5% of young released have successfully migrated and returned to breed in the subsequent year. Preser.
External links
- http://busbee.freehostia.com/science/ontogeny.html - Cricket-killing and mouse-killing behavior in Loggerhead Shrikes
- http://busbee.freehostia.com/science/dieldren.html - Effect of insecticides on the behavior of Loggerhead Shrikes
- Loggerhead Shrike Information and Photos - South Dakota Birds and Birding
- Loggerhead Shrike Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Loggerhead Shrike - Lanius ludovicianus - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- Stamps (for MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
) with RangeMap - Loggerhead Shrike videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Loggerhead Shrike Bird Sound