CALIFORNIA SHRIKE 163 



former twice flying back and forth 20 feet above the mate, which re- 

 mained i^erched on the fence. The flight was erratic and zigzagging 

 with vertical undulations and changes in pace. It is believed that the 

 bird performing this nuptial flight was the male. 



This behavior has also been seen in the period following the de- 

 struction of a set of eggs. In some instances hovering is interpolated 

 in the nuptial flight. Such hovering is performed at greater height 

 from the ground than that which commonly is seen w^hen shrikes 

 are in pursuit of prey. It is similar to the hovering of excited parents 

 while in defense of small young. 



The second type of courtship consists of the feeding of the female 

 by the male. The female postures, flutters the wings, and calls much 

 in the manner of a juvenal shrike. This begins in the final stages of 

 nest-building and continues through the laying and incubating periods. 

 However, the feeding is much more of a routine affair after the set 

 is laid, and one does not then note the extreme posturing and excite- 

 ment of the laying period. Begging by the female often follows upon 

 her noticing the male in the act of capturing food, whereas at other 

 times her actions seem to arise purely from some internal sexual urge. 

 The female in this type of courtship is the aggressor. The male usu- 

 ally is quiet and nonresponsive to the female and may consistently 

 move away from her advances. If he does respond to her entreaties, 

 it is by rapidly and quietly approaching with food in the bill, which 

 food is snatched from liim by the female. If he responds in a more 

 purely sexual manner, it is by a few quickly repeated ecstatic song trills. 

 I have never seen any strutting or display of plumage by the male at 

 this time. Often there is a noticeable increase in the amount of song 

 delivered by him, although this is not given while in close company 

 of the female but from one of the higlier perches in the territory. 



Between these two phases of courtship there is a period of variable 

 length, when the members of a pair hunt during most of the day, re- 

 maining within 50 yards or less of one another but rarely showing 

 any other signs of attachment or of sexual interest. The male usually 

 takes the initiative in moving about from post to post within the ter- 

 ritory. At this time neither bird sings to any great degree. Such 

 singing as does occur is performed normally by the male. But the 

 female may sing, although only briefly. 



Nesting. — The pair, when searching for nest sites, makes an inspec- 

 tion of various densely branched trees and bushes near the headquarters 

 of the territory. Both birds may spend 15 minutes at a time hopping 

 about through thickets of a sort not commonly frequented wdiile 

 feeding. 



The nest sites have certain general characteristics. Preference is 

 shown for locations in dense bushes or small thickly grown trees at 

 medium heights, rarely less than 3 feet or more than 25 feet from the 



