4 
A bold, fearless bird, the Great Grey Shrike brooks no intruder on the domain he has 
chosen for himself, and will attack and drive off even the most powerful birds of prey. During 
the breeding-season it is particularly watchful in ousting any Crow or Hawk from the neighbour- 
hood of its nest. Like its American congener (Lanius borealis), which Dresser has often 
observed during the severest part of the Canadian winter, it is able vo endure severe cold, and 
stays even in the colder countries, though not in the same locality where it has nested. Its 
favourite habitat is in the open fields where bushes and trees are scattered round, and it does not 
frequent the true forests. 
In Scandinavia, where Dresser has had several opportunities of observing it, he found it 
frequenting the open country where a few trees were to be found, and generally saw it perch- 
ing on the topmost bough of a tree, whence it could have a clear view of the surrounding 
country, and when disturbed it would fly off with a Magpie-like flight to the nearest elevated 
perch, where it would again resume its position on the highest possible place. Swampy and low 
districts it appears to avoid, but is often found in the hill-country ; and Radde (R. im S. vy. O. S. 
Band ii. p. 274) remarks that he found it in June 1859 on the Sajan mountains, in Siberia, on 
the boundary of the tree-growth, at an elevation of from 6000 to 7000 feet above the level of the 
sea. Its food consists of field-mice, beetles, grasshoppers, and small birds, which latter it hunts 
down with great pertinacity, and will even attack Blackbirds and Thrushes. Like the other 
Shrikes, it spits its prey on thorns, or jams it into the fork of a branch in order to tear it up with 
greater facility; and its larder often presents a curious appearance from the variety of its 
leavings. Naumann states that in summer its food consists of insects, small frogs, lizards, and 
blindworms, but that it is fond of young birds, and frequently robs nests. 
Herr Karl Miller (J. f. O. 1868, p. 179) gives some interesting notes respecting the habits 
of this bird, from which we translate the following :— 
“During this winter I had the opportunity of often observing a Great Grey Shrike. He 
lorded it over a considerable tract, and, Shrike-like, preferred the hedges and the young lime- 
trees skirting an avenue, where, emboldened by hunger and the severe weather, he watched for 
his prey, undisturbed by the passers by. I often saw him fly a considerable distance, then 
suddenly rise in his flght, and hover over one spot. Once when flying along he observed a 
mouse; he turned sharply round and, hovering, commenced a careful examination of the ground ; 
and his watchfuless and perseverance astonished me. Now he would hover from 30 to 40 feet 
above the ground, now only from 10 to 15 feet; then, flying down to a small mound, he would sit 
with outstretched neck and eager glance, carefully surveying every spot near him, and after 
watching for a time would again take to wing. For more than ten minutes he waited and 
searched for the mouse, and then flew off to a thorn bush about 100 yards distant. But he had 
not given up the chase; for after a short rest he again returned to where he had first observed 
the animal, and repeated the search. He persevered even longer than before, and at last 
secured his prey by a quick surprise and several hard blows with the bill delivered as he was 
hopping and fluttering over it. This Shrike once attacked a Blackbird I used to feed, which had 
become quite tame. He came behind it as it was feeding, threw it on its back, and holding it 
fast with his claws gave it repeated blows on its head with his beak, and, had I not hastened to 
the rescue, would soon have killed it. It may not be generally known that the Shrike is attracted 
