Loggerhead Shrike at CWF
As Anna and I were driving down Cemetery Rd, I noticed a bird perched on a fence. I was so intrigued that I decided to stop and try to capture a picture. As I got closer, I realized I was looking at something special—a Loggerhead Shrike! I’d never seen one of these fascinating birds in person before.
Loggerhead Shrike posing on a fence post at Southern 8ths.
Loggerhead Shrikes and other shrike species are sometimes nicknamed “butcher birds” because of their unique habit of impaling prey on sharp thorns, twigs, or even barbed wire. Despite being a small songbird, they’re mighty hunters, capable of taking down prey heavier than themselves! After making a catch, they’ll impale it on a sharp surface, creating a sort of pantry they can return to for later meals.
Shrikes living up to their names as butcher birds.
According to Cornell’s All About Birds website, Loggerhead Shrikes are sadly in steep decline, and there may be multiple factors at play. As is often the case, farm chemicals and habitat loss are likely contributors. While they’re still found in good numbers in some areas—especially in the southern and western U.S.—their population has plummeted in other regions, especially the Northeast. Between 1966 and 2019, the North American Breeding Bird Survey found their numbers dropped by about 2.6% each year, amounting to an overall decline of roughly 75%.
Loggerhead Shrikes have made it onto the list of “Common Birds in Steep Decline.” They aren’t yet considered endangered but have shown troubling long-term population drops. The increase in chemical pesticide use between the 1940s and 1970s may play a significant role, as these birds likely ingest pesticide-laden prey from treated fields. Other threats include vehicle collisions, urban development, loss of hedgerows, and habitat destruction due to activities like surface-coal mining and overgrazing by livestock.
However, there’s hope. Loggerhead Shrikes have a potentially high reproductive rate, and if we can protect their habitat and address the causes of their decline, their populations could bounce back.
It’s been a few years since Travis Knowles, associate professor of biology at Francis Marion University, first identified the presence of Loggerhead Shrikes at the Southern 8ths Field Station during the annual North American Breeding Bird Survey. Here’s hoping that this little shrike decides to stick around and maybe even start a family of its own!
Author: Morgan Warner
