Loggerhead Shrike

Lanius ludovicianus Order: PASSERIFORMES Family: Shrikes (Laniidae)
Loggerhead Shrike Portrait
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General

Loggerhead Shrike: Medium-sized shrike with gray upperparts and paler gray underparts. Mask is black and throat is white. Bill is heavy and slightly hooked. Wings are black with white patches. Tail is long, black, and white-edged. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is paler with faint bars over entire body.

Range and Habitat

Loggerhead Shrike: Breeds from southern British Columbia, central Alberta, central Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, southern Ontario, and southern Quebec, south throughout the U.S. Spends winters in the southern half of its breeding range. Preferred habitats include grasslands, orchards, and open areas with scattered trees.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"queedle- queedle"

Interesting Facts

 The Loggerhead Shrike is most well known for its innovative use of barbed-wire and chain-link fences to impale its prey to cache for later. It is also called butcherbird or French Mockingbird.

 Decline in population over the past years is not well understood, but may be due to decreased winter survivability and vehicle collisions, particularly involving juvenile birds. They are listed endangered in Maryland and Virginia and a species of special concern (SSC) in West Virginia. They are only still relatively common in Florida.

 The San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike subspecies has been listed as endangered since 1977, with population numbers reaching as low as 14 individuals. Currently there are captive breeding and release programs in use to help increase their numbers.

 A group of shrikes are collectively known as an "abbatoir" and a "watch" of shrikes.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Loggerhead Shrike

Related Birds

Gray Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Shrike
White Wagtail
Northern Shrike
Northern Wheatear
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
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Family Shrike (Laniidae)_blue
Species Lanius ludovicianus
Length9 Inches
Wingspan12.75 Inches

Loggerhead Shrike

Loggerhead Shrike: Medium shrike with gray upperparts and paler gray underparts. Mask is black and throat is white. Bill is heavy and slightly hooked. Wings are black with white patches. Tail is long, black, and white-edged. Low, swift flight, alternates rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.

● Song: "queedle- queedle"

● Foraging & Feeding: Loggerhead Shrike: Feeds on small vertebrates and invertebrates; hunts from a low perch in a tree, shrub, or power line, often catching prey on the ground. Maintains a food larder; impales prey on thorns or barbed wire.

● Breeding & nesting: Loggerhead Shrike: Four to seven white to gray eggs, marked with gray, brown or black, are laid in a bulky nest made of twigs and grass, lined with plant down and feathers, and set in a thorny shrub or tree. Incubation ranges from 16 to 17 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Loggerhead Shrike: Northern Shrike is larger, paler, has faintly barred underparts, and black mask that does not extend across the top of bill.

Flight Pattern

Rapid flight with quick wing strokes.
Loggerhead Shrike Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Loggerhead Shrike: Breeds from southern British Columbia, central Alberta, central Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, southern Ontario, and southern Quebec, south throughout the U.S. Spends winters in the southern half of its breeding range. Preferred habitats include grasslands, orchards, and open areas with scattered trees.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationFairly common
MigrationMigratory
Weight1.7 Ounces