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| Image Source Wikipedia © Marek Szczepanek |
The first time I saw a northern shrike was in an open grassy area in Carver County perched in a tree.
This bird has a distinctive black mask and white patches on the underside and top of its wings. These white patches are very noticeable when the bird is in flight. Northern Shrikes are just smaller than a blue jay in size.
We saw a few Northern Shrikes this November while walking in the local park. Just this weekend, we saw a shrike carrying off a smaller bird with a downy woodpecker flying after it in our yard.
Northern Shrikes migrate south from the arctic to Minnesota and other northern States for the winter. Shrikes are predators, catching mice and other rodents. They will impale their prey on sharp twigs or thorns on trees. I found the partially eaten remains on this ash tree last week.
"They are predatory songbirds with strong, hooked bills they use to kill and dismember prey (insects or small vertebrates, including birds, small mammals and reptiles)." (Sibley Guide to Birds)
They also have a distinctive song so keep your eyes and ears open this winter!
Here's a link to an audio recording of their song: Cornell Bird Sounds Library
Also a link to a video: Cornell Video
Please send them down to northern Indiana for the winter! There is usually one that winters at the state park across the street from my house, but it hasn't been seen yet this year. I did see one in northwest Indiana a couple of weekends ago, though. Cool birds. I don't think I've ever heard one singing. Do you know if they typically sing much on their wintering grounds?
ReplyDeleteI'll see what I can do although they're very independent birds :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know about their song during the winter. All of the Cornell recordings appear to have been taken in the summer in Alaska. My husband heard one singing in November at a local park - maybe to establish winter hunting territory? I did hear the one in my yard on the weekend making a shrieking noise as it flew by with the bird in its claws.
We have fiscal shrikes. Smartly dressed in black grey and white. And terrorising the little birds who call our garden home. Part of the shrike's territory too!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to read up on those shrikes, thanks.
ReplyDelete