13 replies to this topic

[Southerncowgirlkim]

Is this a Loggerhead Shrike? I saw it in Sumter County today. Thanks!

[Sparky the Cuttlefish]

Confirmed! On barbed wire, too, haha. Looking for something to spear, I imagine.

[FarAwayEyes]

Great photo ! Hard bird to get close to.

[BigOly]

They like to impale prey on barbed wire or cactus spines so they can rip it apart. Nick named butcherbird.

[Lutya]

The one I saw in Florida (at Merritt Island) wasn't shy at all! It let me get about 4 feet away and stood there posing for the lots of pictures.

[Southerncowgirlkim]

Thanks, y'all!!! Lifer! What kind of prey do they like? I didn't know that about the nickname, BigOly- cool!

[Liam]

They like lizards, frogs, mice, and grasshoppers; sometimes even small birds and snakes. The California Red-flanked Bluetail was eaten by a shrike.

[guy_incognito]

They like lizards, frogs, mice, and grasshoppers; sometimes even small birds and snakes. The California Red-flanked Bluetail was eaten by a shrike.

Wow, I never heard that about the Bluetail.

For the hundreds of Shrikes that I've seen, I still haven't seen any impaled prey yet...

[Southerncowgirlkim]

Thanks, Liam!

[JimBob]

Wow, I never heard that about the Bluetail.

I didn't either. That's kind of a sad ending. . .

[Rudi Nuissl]

Here is a shot of a Loggerhead Shrike with a lizard taken in Colorado:

[Southerncowgirlkim]

Nice shot, nuissrf!

[FarAwayEyes]

Seconded on the nice shot. Did he impale it before eating ?

[Rudi Nuissl]

Didn't see it, but I assume so. I was driving down a rural road in Northern Colorado and the Shrike flew from a barbed wire fence to the bush in the shot. I assume the impaling took place on the fence.