Northern Shrike
Lanius borealis
Uncommon thrush-sized bird found in open and patchy habitats across much of northern North America and northeastern Asia. Adults are pale gray above with a black mask, black wings with small white patch at base of primaries, often with faint grayish barring on underparts. Young birds are browner and more heavily barred than adults, with reduced white in wing and more diffuse dark mask. Breeds in open shrubby forest and willow thickets; in winter can be found in dunes, brushy fields, or hedgerows in agricultural areas. Usually seen singly, often perched conspicuously on a snag or powerline. In North America, may overlap with Loggerhead Shrike in winter. Northern is slightly larger, paler, and shows more white around the eye. Carnivorous habits make shrikes unique among passerines; they feed on rodents and small birds. Undulating flight; watch for white patches in the wings.
Identification
The loggerhead shrike can be distinguished from the northern shrike by its smaller size, darker grey plumage and larger black face mask that covers the eye completely. It also has a shorter bill with less prominent hook. Their calls are similar.<p>Measurements:
Taxonomy
The northern shrike was formally described by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1808 under its present binomial name Lanius borealis. In the 19th century, North American ornithologists considered it as a separate species from the great grey shrike, while European authorities held them to be the same species. American ornithologist Alden H. Miller investigated differences between the Siberian and Alaskan populations in 1930 and could find no consistent differences, hence he recommended combining the two into Lanius excubitor.<p>In North America, this and the related loggerhead shrike are commonly known as butcherbirds for their habit of impaling prey on thorns or spikes. A folk name from Michigan is winter butcherbird. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation people of Old Crow, Yukon call it Tzi kwut go katshi lyi. As a passerine, or song bird, it has no talons. It has the hooked beak of a raptor.<p>A 2010 study of mitochondrial DNA found that the northern shrike was most closely related to the Iberian grey shrike (Lanius meridionalis), the steppe grey shrike (Lanius pallidirostris), and the two formed a clade along with the Chinese grey shrike and loggerhead shrike.<p>East Eurasian group<p>North American group
- Scientific name
- Lanius borealis
- Authority
- Vieillot, 1808
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Laniidae
- Genus
- Lanius
Range and habitat
Observations of wintering habitats in Idaho suggest suitable wintering territories are in demand, as northern shrikes that died in a particular area were quickly replaced.
- Breeding range
- NA, PAL : n
- Non-breeding range
- to n China, Japan
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Lepidothrix velutina
Small, short-tailed bird found in lowland and foothill rainforest. Male is easy to identify with his glossy black body and azure crown. Female is mostly lime green with a yellowish belly; her plumage is much greener than other similar species such as Choco Manakin and female Red-capped Manakin. Most common call is a short, ringing trill. Male’s display song is a buzzy “purwit!”. Usually seen at lower to middle levels in the forest, plucking berries from fruiting trees. Formerly called Blue-crowned Manakin before that species was split. Velvety Manakin’s range includes Costa Rica, Panama, western Colombia, and northwestern Ecuador.
Hodgson's Frogmouth
Batrachostomus hodgsoni
Cryptic, uncommon nightbird of evergreen and mixed foothill and montane forests (900-2000 meters). Both sexes have dappled lichen-like plumage, the male grayish, female rusty brown. Silent birds are best distinguished from other small frogmouths by range, habitat, elevation, and bird’s comparatively small size. Song a long, haunting whistle, given repeatedly in series.
Yungas Tyrannulet
Phyllomyias weedeni
Small flycatcher found along the east slope of the Andes in western Bolivia, barely reaching over the border into southern Peru. Note the stubby bill, indistinct wingbars, and white eyebrow bordered below by a dark eye-line. Similar to Sclater’s Tyrannulet, but lacks a white throat and has less prominent wingbars. Inhabits the canopy of humid forest, and typical song is a series of three to five descending, whiny whistles. Note that some vocally distinct birds found farther north in Peru as well in western Brazil may belong to this species, but pending further research, could also be a form of Sooty-headed Tyrannulet or something completely new.
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