A fiscal shrike - do you have common names for those predatory shrike habits? (3 Viewers)

[Tammie]

Harry,
It never ceases to amaze me what birds are capable of doing. I'm hoping I won't come across a larder site that has a few of my favorite little ones on it! Now, the mice on the other hand.... around here, he could have his fill of those! Here's hoping...
Any chance you could post a picture of a Red-Backed? Sounds fascinating!

 

[HelenB]

Loggerhead Shrike

Saw a couple of mentions of the Loggerhead Shrike, so thought I'd just post a photo of our local "masked bandit", our nickname for him. He likes to sit on the perches at the top of the martin house pole in the winter season, when we have taken the house down. I've never seen him up there when the martins are in residence in the summer, but I have seen him perched above a hummingbird feeder - never seen him try to catch one though!

This photo was digiscoped through my kitchen window - Nikon CP 4500/Swar AT80HD

[When I was in Bali a couple of years ago, there were several Long-tailed Shrikes in the hotel grounds. Got a few photos on regular film - will see if I can scan one & post it.]

 

[Gaye Horn]

HelenB what a beauty shot of the Loggerhead... great little bandit.

 

[Sal]

Thanks Gaye for your pic of the Northern Shrike- interesting to see as several people mentioned it. I see that it has faint bands on its breast rather like our redback female.
Helen, lovely shot, this looks very like our lesser grey except that the band across the forehead tends to be wider in our bird. But the full mask is often absent between Nov and Jan. I think that is what i shall name our in future - the masked bandit, very good name for it!

 

[david r]

G.G.Shrike

Hi everyone,
This photo was taken offshore last September.
Dave

 

[Tammie]

Thanks Dave,
Looks just like the Northern Shrike I saw here the other day.

 

[HH75]

Hi Tammie,
As far as I'm aware,the Great Grey Shrike of Europe and the Northern Shrike of N.America are one and the same(they certainly belong to the same species,but there is a possibility that they may be different subspecies?Don't think so,think that one is circumboreal)
The "Great Grey Shrike" is comprised of many different subspecies throughout its range,but in recent years the more southern races have been split as Southern Grey Shrike,with northern birds being Northern Grey Shrike.
This,of course,has a precedent in North America,where the more southerly Loggerhead Shrike has long been treated as a seperate species to the Northern.
Hope that helps....?
Harry