As
a boy growing up in western Pennsylvania, my chances
of observing a Loggerhead Shrike were slim at best.
While the Loggerhead Shrike once ranged throughout
the United States, habitat destruction in the northeast
more or less eliminated the shrike from its former
haunts. Nevertheless, the Loggerhead Shrike can
be locally very common. As I deboarded the Amtrak
Auto Train in Sanford Florida, I noticed a medium-sized
bird flying to a palm tree. I figured the bird to
be a mockingbird, but upon closer inspection, I
noticed the bird's black mask and thick, pointed
black bill. It was none other than a Loggerhead
Shrike, and as I followed the bird to its perch,
I saw another shrike tending to her young. During
my stay in central Florida, I must have seen hundreds
of Loggerhead Shrikes from the highway perched upon
telephone wires.
Description:
The Loggerhead Shrike is a bizarre songbird. It
is about 9 inches in length, with a gray head and
back, black mask and wings, and white underparts.
It has a thick, hooked black bill that is useful
in identification. It is really no larger than a
Robin. Yet small birds, reptiles, and mammals don't
scramble for cover in response to a robin like they
do a Loggerhead Shrike. Why? You ask. Because the
Loggerhead Shrike eats them! Not only does the Loggerhead
Shrike capture them, but it stores them on thorns
or barbed-wire fence! Don't be alarmed if you see
a mouse or lizard impaled in this manner. It's not
the work a maniac, but most likely a Loggerhead
Shrike.
Habitat/Range/Diet:
The Loggerhead Shrike is generally found in the
deep south and points west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Shrikes prefer open areas, with scattered trees
or lookout posts. While there are many species of
shrikes world-wide, the Loggerhead Shrike, and the
very similar but larger Northern Shrike, are the
only to be found in North America. Most Americans
only see the Northern Shrike in winter. Shrikes
eat insects, small mammals, birds, lizards, and
frogs.
