The Northern Shrike (Lanius boreaiis) 



By l-Alward \i. Clark 



I .L-ngtli : Ten inches. 



Range: NortherTi Xorth Anicriia ; south in uinti r tn tniiidle of United 

 States. 



I'ood ; liKsccls. {^ras.-iiioppers, lizard.s, mice, slircws, etc. 



One lias to have something of the savage in him to enjtiy tlioroughly the 

 study of the shrike. As a matter of fact, the close daily obser\'ance of the bird 

 involves some little sacrifice for the person whose nature is tempered with mercy. 

 The shrike is essentially cruel. It is a butcher pure and simple, and a butcher that 

 knows no merciful methods in plying its trade. More than this, the shrike is the 

 most arrant hypocrite in the whole bird calendar. Its appearance as it sits ap- 

 parently sunning itself, but in reality keeping a sharp lookout for prey, is the 

 perfect counterfeit of iimoccnce. The northern shrike is no mean vocalist. Its 

 notes are alluringly gentle, and to paraphrase, "It sings and sings and is a villain 

 still." 



There is one compensation beyond the general interest of the thing for the 

 student who has to endure the sight of the sufferings of the shrike's victims in 

 order to get an adequate idea of its conduct of life. The redeeming thing is found 

 in the fact that in the winter time the great majority of the shrike's victims are 

 the pestilential English sparrows, whom every bird-lover would be willing to see 

 sacrificed to make a shrike's supper, though he might regret the attending pain 

 pangs. 



My own observations of the shrike have been limited to the city of Chicago 

 and to the fields immediately beyond its walls. For those unfamiliar with the 

 subject it may be best to say that in the winter season the shrike is abundant in 

 the parks of the great smoky city by the lake, and that not infrequently it invades 

 till' i)ulsing business heart of the town. No one ever saw the pkicidity of the 

 shrike disturbed in the least. It will perch on the top of a small tree and never 

 move so much as a feather, barring its tail, which is in well-nigh constant motion, 

 when the clanging electric cars rush by or when the passing wagons shake its 

 l)erch to the foundation. 



The northern shrike reaches the city from its habitat beyond the Canada 

 line about the first of November. For four years in succession I saw my first 

 northern shrike of the season on November 1st, a day set down in the church 

 calendar for the commemoration of ".Ml Saints." It is eminently in keeping with 

 the hypocritical character of Mr. Shrike, sinner that he is, to put in an appearance 

 on so holy a day. From the time of his coming until late March, and sometimes 

 well into .\pril, the shrike remains an urban resident and harries the sparrow 

 tribe to his heart's content. 



.^s far as my own ol)servation goes, the northem shrike in winter does not 



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