Field Guide to Birds of North America
Northern Shrike
General
Northern Shrike: Medium-sized shrike with gray upperparts and pale gray underparts. Mask is black with white border and bill is heavy and slightly hooked. Wings are black with white patches. Tail is long, black, and white-edged. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is gray-brown above with faint bars on underparts.
Range and Habitat
Northern Shrike: Breeds from northern Alaska south to central Quebec, northern Manitoba and northern British Columbia. Migrates south in winter as far as central and southwestern U.S. Prefers forest edges, open willow brush, and brush-bordered swamps and bogs.
Listen to Call
Voice Text
"kdldi", "plid-plid", "fay, fay", "reed, reed, reed", "shraaaa"
Interesting Facts
The species name of the Northern Shrike, Lanius excubitor, means, "Butcher watchman."
Their nest is so deep that while incubating, all that can be seen of the female is the tip of her tail.
Since they lack talons, they stun or kill their prey with blows from their powerful beaks. Then, if they do not eat their prey immediately, they impale it on thorns or barbed wire. This serves not only as a food cache but also marks territory and attracts mates.
A group of shrikes are collectively known as an "abbatoir" and a "watch" of shrikes.
Author
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Family
Shrike (Laniidae)_blue
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Species
Lanius excubitor
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Length9 - 10
Inches
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Wingspan15
Inches
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Northern Shrike
Northern Shrike: Medium shrike with gray upperparts,pale gray underparts. Mask is black with white border, bill is heavy and slightly hooked. Wings are black with white patches. Tail is long, black, and white-edged. Legs and feet are black. Flight is swift and undulating on shallow rapid wing beats.
● Song: "kdldi", "plid-plid", "fay, fay", "reed, reed, reed", "shraaaa"
● Foraging & Feeding: Northern Shrike: Eats mostly insects, but also takes small birds and mammals, sometimes larger than itself. Forages from a high perch, swooping down to stun or kill prey with blows from its heavy, hooked bill; caches prey by impaling it on a sharp object such as a thorn or wire barb.
● Breeding & nesting: Northern Shrike: Four to nine gray or green eggs, marked with olive, brown, and purple, are laid in a nest made of sticks, lined with feathers, hair, and fine materials, and built in a tree or shrub 12 to 20 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 15 to 16 days and is carried out by the female. Young fly at about 20 days old.
● Similar species: Northern Shrike: Loggerhead Shrike is smaller, has a black mask that extends across top of bill, and shorter bill with less hooked tip.
Flight Pattern
Swift undulating flight on shallow rapid wing beats.
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BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
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PopulationYes but uncommon
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MigrationMigratory
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Weight2.3
Ounces
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