Harris — Birds of the Kansas City Region. 311 



■boulevards but are most often seen in the Missouri bottoms and 

 bluff regions. 



Family Laniidae. Strikes. 



Lanius boeealis VieiUot. Northern Shrike. 



Rare winter visitant. 



The Northern Shrike is distinctly larger than the Migrant 

 Shrike, and may be recognized in the field by its size by a care- 

 ful observer familiar with the latter species. It may be looked 

 for anywhere in the county during winter. It is never numer- 

 ous and in some winters is not seen. It is likely to be met with 

 any time between early November and late March or early 

 April. 



Three specimens only, are known to have been taken in this 

 vicinity, November 24, 1901, January 18, 1909 (Bankers), the 

 third date not being available. Bush gives several dates on 

 which he has observed this bird. 



Lanius ludovioianus excubitoeides Swainson. White-rumped 

 Shrike. 

 Accidental visitant. 



Only one specimen of this western shrike has ever been taken 

 in the county (April 25, 1902), and it is considered only acci- 

 dental. Its range in this latitude extends as far east as central 

 Kansas. 



Lanius ludovicianus migeans W. Palmer. Migrant Shrike. 

 Common summer resident; occasional winter resident. 



The Migrant Shrike is the breeding form for this district and 

 arrives commonly from the 12th to 20th of March. It departs 

 in late October and early November and a few may remain 

 during mild and open winters. Even in severe winters an oc- 

 casional bird is seen. 



This shrike is fairly common over the whole county but is 

 most numerous on the prairies and open farming country, par- 

 ticularly where the osage orange hedges afford it breeding 

 places. It is seldom seen in the Swope Park neighborhood but 

 is common south of the Country Club district and on the high 

 country south and east of Forest Hill Cemetery and beyond 

 Dodson. 



The nesting period is during the last two weeks of April and 



