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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Botaurus pinnatus
Cryptic heron of freshwater marshes in tropical lowlands. Usually in areas with tall grasses or rushes, rarely in open situations. When alarmed, often freezes motionless with neck upstretched. The neck is finely barred horizontally, but the body plumage is vertically streaked (not horizontally barred and banded, as on immature tiger-herons). Compare with immature night-herons, which have streaked, not finely barred necks.
Long-tailed Ground-Roller
Uratelornis chimaera
Long-tailed, long-legged bird with bold head and chest markings. Elusive and shy; unlikely to be seen by those not searching for it. Found in a small portion of Madagascar’s southwestern spiny forest, at low elevation on sandy soils. Feeds on the ground, avoiding disturbance by running away. Song is a high, short “tuk” note delivered in a quick series. Unmistakable within its tiny range.
Henderson Petrel
Pterodroma atrata
A typical uniformly grayish-brown petrel with pale mottling at the base of the bill that gives it a somewhat “frosted” facial appearance. Pale bar along the leading edge of the underwing between the body and elbow is evident in flight. Highly pelagic, visiting land only to nest. Similar to Kermadec Petrel, but lacks the white primary shafts in the upperwing of that species and is overall more uniformly colored. Providence Petrel is similar but appears much heavier-chested and paler-faced, with more extensively mottled gray-brown tones across the body. Herald Petrel is very similar, but has much more contrasting dark-and-light underwing pattern. Henderson Petrel is silent at sea.
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