Front:
allan Brouks.
NORTHERN SHRIKE
Published by the National Association of Audubon Societies
...
Back:
No. 41 Northern Shrike
Length 1014 inches
The Northern Shrike or Butcher Bird, although
belonging to the same great order as all our well-
loved song birds, exhibits certain hawk-like traits
which have given it a rather bad reputation.
The Shrike has a hooked beak, but, as it does
not possess hawk-like claws adapted to holding its
prey, it impales it upon thorns or the barbs of a
wire fence. The Northern Shrike is well known
for this habit, but, since its victims Leon prise
mostly mice, the larger insects, and the English
Sparrow, its food habits are mainly useful rather
than detrimental.
It has a somewhat hawk-like smannen of wait-
ing for its prey, so it loves to perch of the very
tops of trees, or on telegraph poleg or wires, from
which vantage points it is ane to view the sur-
rounding country and detect suck small quarry as
comes within range.
The nest is a rude affair P
twigs, weeds and
grasses, usually in low, thorny trees or hedges.
From four to six eggs are maid These are gray-
ish white, spotted with light brown and dark gray.
Classification: Order Passeres. Family Laniide.
Scientific name: Lanius borealis.
Range: Northern North America, breeding chiefly
from central Canada to northwestern Alaska and north-
ern Mackenzie. South in winter to the middle States.
No. 41 from set of 50 Winter Birds of the Northeastern United
States. Published by the National Association of Audubon So-
cieties, 1974 Broadway, New York City. Price per set, in a box,
$1.00 post paid.
