310 - Trees, Stars, and Birds 



Finley & Bohlman 

 FIG. 192. Western warbling vireo at its nest. 



Shrikes. These birds are about as large as a catbird or 

 mocking bird. They are white beneath and gray above, 

 with the wings and tail mainly black, and a black patch 

 on each side of the head. The white tips of part of the 

 wing and tail feathers and white spots at the bases of the 

 wings give the bird a spotted appearance when it flies. 

 The bill is hooked and adapted to tearing the flesh of the 

 mice and birds on which the shrike feeds in part. . From 

 their habits shrikes might be taken for hawks, but they 

 are really song birds. It is believed that their vocal 

 powers are useful to them in securing food, that by 

 imitating the call of a young bird in distress, a shrike 

 brings small birds to the rescue and then seizes and kills 

 them. Because of its slaughtering animals and hanging 

 them on hooks the shrike is often called the " butcher 

 bird.'' What do you think is its object in hanging on 

 thorns the creatures it kills ? 



The northern shrike is a rather common winter visitor 

 in the United States. In city parks it is welcomed be- 



