Loggerhead shrike

Distribution and Habitat

The loggerhead shrike is widely distributed throughout North America. They occur from southern Canada throughout the United States south to Mexico.

Loggerhead shrikes inhabit a variety of open areas. Habitat types include short-grass pastures, weedy fields, grasslands, agricultural areas, swampy thickets, orchards, and right-of-way corridors. Shrikes occupy sites that contain hedgerows, scattered trees or shrubs, and utility wires or fence posts. They use these features as perches. Nests are often located in trees or shrubs bearing thorns. Some preferred species include, hawthorns (Crataegus spp.), osage orange (Maclura pomifera), and multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora). Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) may also be used for nesting. Similar habitats are occupied year-round.

Diet

Loggerhead shrikes are opportunistic predators. They consume insects, small mammals, songbirds, snakes, frogs, lizards, and even small turtles. In summer, shrikes eat a large number of insects, small mammals, and songbirds. In winter, small mammals and songbirds comprise most of their diet.

Shrikes hunt from perches like fence posts and telephone wires. They perch high above their habitat to look for prey. When prey is sighted shrikes pounce on and kill it instantly.

Since shrikes lack talons they utilize thorns and other sharp objects to impale their prey. They use these sharp objects to anchor and immobilize their prey when they feed on them. Impaling prey allows shrikes to cache or store food and catch prey that would otherwise be to large to handle.

Life Cycle

Loggerhead shrikes occupy large territories that are vigorously defended. During courtship males perform aerial displays and deliver food to potential mates. Male and female shrikes gather nesting material, but the female always builds the nest. The female builds the nest in a thorny shrub or tree that provides cover. Nests are constructed of twigs, weeds, bark, and are lined with grasses, lichens, moss, string, hair, or feathers.

In mid-April females lay 5 to 6 brown speckled-white eggs. She starts to incubate after the first egg is laid. She incubates the eggs for 16 to 20 days. The male provides all the food during this period. The young hatch asynchronously, or in the order that they are laid. This adaptation results in young that are staggered in ages. During years when prey is limited only the oldest and strongest young may survive. When the young hatch the females broods them closely. They are born blind and naked, or altricial, and are completely dependent on the adults. At 17 to 21 days old the young leave the nest but are still unable to fly. By 30 days the young fledge or fly for the first time. After fledging the young practice catching prey and learn skills that they will use for the rest of their life. They are fed by the adults for an additional 3 to 4 weeks after they fledge. Juvenile shrikes breed the following spring.