Species Name: Loggerhead Shrike (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)

Length: 8.5 inches

Description: Length: 9 inches; Mostly pale gray with prominent black markings on face, tail, and wings. Distinctive large head contributes to bulky appearance. Thick bill with distinctive hook at end visible at close range. Throat and sides of neck whitish and contrast with darker gray on back and black facial mask. White corners tip tail. In flight shows white patches in wing. Juvenile birds have fine barring on back, flanks, and chest making for a "dirty" appearance.

Range: A widespread, but declining, species. A bird of open country, breeding the plains states and provinces south into Mexico. Winters in much of the lower half of the US, but in limited numbers.

Behavior: A songbird with the lifestyle of a hawk. Conspicuous where present. Solitary, expect when seen in small family groups on breeding territory. Perches on brush, fence posts, barbed wire, utility lines, etc. and watches for prey. Makes fast swoop, often flying low to ground, then rising to take prey. Preys on small birds, lizards, rodents, and insects. Uses powerful beak to sever spinal cord in prey. Have been observed taking prey as large as Mourning Doves and Northern Flickers.

Small feet and lack of talons make shrikes unsuited for carrying prey in the feet; instead they carry captured prey in the beak. Since shrikes cannot grasp prey in their feet, they often impale animals on barbs or thorns and then pull them apart with the beak. Often create a larder of partially eaten prey on thorns in territory.

Known as "butcher bird" in much of range; called "little black-and-white singing hawk" by some Native Americans.

Related or Similar Species: Closely related to Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor), known as Great Grey Shrike in Europe. Distinguishing between these two very similar species requires close study of the size of the bill (smaller in Loggerhead), the facial mask (more extensive over the beak in Loggerhead), appearance of breast (more fine barring on Northern), and overall color (paler on Northern). Either species is possible in winter in large parts of the US.

The Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) has a color pattern similar to the shrike, but is generally more uniform gray, lacks the facial mask, has a much smaller bill and head, lacks the overall appearance of bulk, shows white in a different part of the wing, and is much different in demeanor.

Identification: Striking gray, black, and white plumage, bulky appearance, solitary and generally quiet behavior, and flight low to ground help to identify either shrike species at a distance. Separating Loggerhead from Northern where both are possible requires careful observation and attention to the fine points.

Advice on Finding and Photographing: Look for Loggerhead Shrikes in open country with suitable perches, thorny shrubs, or barbed wire. Scan tops of bushes. Listen for distinctive grating "songs" and calls unlike most songbirds. Usually very difficult to approach, although occasional tolerant birds can be encountered. Good results can sometimes be obtained working from a car along dirt roads in agricultural areas with suitable perches close to the road. The most challenging part of exposure is separating the black eye from the black facial mask, without over exposing the small areas of white - pay close attention to the position of the head relative to the direction of the light to avoid "dead eye."

Editor's Comment: Let us know what you think! Please email the Editor to let us know your thoughts.

Richard Ditch been looking at birds and taking their photographs since the early 1970's, when he caught the "birding bug" from a friend at work. He was very active as a birder when he lived in New Jersey (1970-1994), maintaining lists of all the birds he saw each year in the state and elsewhere. Rich was a volunteer and field trip leader at the Owl Haven Nature Center (part of the New Jersey Audubon Society) and was a member of the Board of Directors for many years, along with being a frequent contributor to their quarterly magazine and to Records of New Jersey Birds. After moving to Phoenix, AZ in 1994 as a result of a job change, he found the birds to be a lot different and went through a rapid period of learning new species and new forms of species East. Richard is also a very active Member of our PhotoMigrations community and is a regular contributor to our forums. Please feel free to email him and be sure to visit his website located at: Birds in Nature - Images of Wild Birds.