ANAKTUVUK PASS 109 



The earliest observations of Northern shrikes were May 8, 1949 at 

 Tuluak Lake, May 9, 1950 at Contact Creek, April 29, 1951, at Itik- 

 malikpuk Creek, and May 9, 1952 at Contact Creek. The latest record 

 was September 28, 1950, just within the limits of the spruce forest 

 at the head of the Savioyuk River. Shrikes were observed almost 

 daily during early September as the Nunamiut moved from Tuluak 

 southward past Kangomavik to Kalutak Creek. 



The Nunamiut name is Irirgik, "eye extractor," indicating the dis- 

 agreeable activity attributed to shrikes of picking out the eyes of 

 small birds and mice, after which, according to the story, the shrike 

 watches its blinded victim blunder about until ready to eat it. The 

 name and story are identical with the characterization of the shrike 

 as given by Eskimo people on the lower Kobuk River (Grimiell, 1900) , 

 and as given me by Charles Sheldon of Kobuk. 



A nest with one egg and a dead shrike was brought to me on June 1, 

 1948, but unfortunately it could not be preserved. On June 11, 1951, 

 I found an empty nest 9 feet up in a willow where Itikmalikpuk Creek 

 emerges from the mountains. It looked like a new shrike's nest and a 

 shrike was seen nearby. One young bird, clearly hatched that season, 

 was near adult weight and although its tail was still short, it was 

 flying with other young among the willows at Kangomavik July 31, 

 1950. Two young males on June 24, 1951 were as heavy as the young 

 male just mentioned. Another bird judged from its plumage to be 

 of this summer was taken near Contact Creek in early September 

 1950, but the exact date and sex were not recorded. 



Shrikes were observed commonly in 1950 and 1951 in the Killik 

 Valley near Odrivik Lake, along the river 4 miles north of Akmalik 

 Creek, and at least three family groups of three to five were observed 

 in 1950 around Akmalik Creek. Mice and small birds hung by them 

 or by short-eared owls in the bushes were occasionally found. The 

 plentiful numbers of shrikes in the mountains was a surprise to me, 

 but none were observed away from the rather large willows about 15 

 feet in height. 



It appears that the summer produces a large increase in the popu- 

 lation of shrikes which feed upon small birds like the redpoll and 

 upon an occasional mouse. No evidence for migration further north 

 can be presented, but since the favored habitat of high willows along 

 the streams and the abundance of mice and redpolls are repeated 

 through the Colville Valley, and through the upper parts of the 

 valleys of northward flowing rivers like the Meade and Ikpikpuk it 

 is assumed that a number of shrikes move through the Pass to nest 

 on the arctic slope. Judging from occasional reports we will find 

 that some shrikes winter in arctic Alaska. 



