[nightheron91]

Hi everyone,

I am having troubles IDing this whitish colored bird I saw perched on top of a small tree in an overgrown field.

Thanks!

[James Lowther]

maybe a northern shrike??

[Andrew Rowlands]

That or a Loggerhead Shrike (looks like a young bird)!

Cheers,

Andy.

[prairiemerlin]

hello,
it is a Northern Shrike... look at the barred underparts. Also, Loggerhead is very rare in Ontario. And, as Andrew said, it is a young bird. Adults are usually more grayish, with less distinct barring on the underparts.
--Neil G.

[Andrew Rowlands]

As you are close to the remnant breeding range of the Loggerhead, you ought to read http://www.ofo.ca/shrike.htm and check the map and text at http://www.shrike.ca/maps.html.

Learn how to tell them apart you might be lucky!

[mattpau]

It's definitely a young Northern Shrike, for the reasons given by Prairiemerlin. Unfortunately, Loggerhead Shrikes now appear to be extirpated from the Ottawa area, although there's always the hope they could still turn up. A shrike in summer would almost certainly be a Loggerhead, as Northerns only visit from late fall to early spring. While not as rare as Loggerheads here, Northern Shrikes are still uncommon, so they're always great to see. It's especially nice to actually get a photo, as they tend to be quite shy (young ones usually less so).