The White-rumped Shrikes 
No. 120b California Shrike 
A. O. U. No. 622b. Lanius ludovicianus gambeli Ridgway. 
Description. —Similar to L. 1 . excubitorides, but slightly darker, duller gray 
above; underparts more sordid, tinged with brownish, or with more or less distinct 
transverse vermiculation of pale brownish gray on chest and sides of breast (even in 
adult male); averaging slightly smaller. A “light” form, not always readily distinguish¬ 
able from the westernmost members of excubitorides. 
Recognition Marks. —As in preceding—duller. 
Nesting. — As in L. I. excubitorides. 
Range of L. 1 . gambeli. — Pacific Coast district from southwestern British Columbia 
to northern Lower California; south in winter to Cape San Lucas and western Mexico. 
Distribution in California. —Common resident, locally abundant west of the 
Sierran divide. The differentiating factor of this very “light” race is the humidity of 
the coastal airs; hence the race is found in its purity only in the northwestern humid 
coastal strip south to Monterey. Elsewhere, and especially in the heated interior 
valley, gambeli approaches, or “intergrades with,” excubitorides. 
Authorities.—Vigors {Lanius ludovicianus), Zoology of Beechey’s Voyage, 1839, 
p. 17; Ridgway, Man. N. Am. Birds, 1887, p. 467 (orig. desc.); Atkinson, Condor, vol. iii., 
1901, p. 9 (Santa Clara County; nesting habits); Strong, Am. Nat., vol. xxxv., 1901, 
p. 271, figs, (crit.); Tyler, Pac. Coast Avifauna, no. 9, 1913, p. 95 (San Joaquin Valley). 
Remark. —Inasmuch as the characters which distinguish these two subspecies, 
excubitorides and gambeli, are so slight, and the area of their intergradation so broad and 
undefined, they are treated below as practically synonymous. There is no recognized 
difference in notes or habits, and in nesting only such as would be dictated by the more 
arid character of the range of excubitorides. 
OPEN or half-open country is the basic requirement of this audacious 
and familiar little Butcher-bird. Bird-of-prey he is for all economic 
purposes, but he is no prowler, nor yet is he a hoverer, wearing out his 
wings with incessant flight. He is, rather, the fearless watcher, and 
he must have for his purpose some practical, elevated station where he 
may mount his marvelous field glasses; for his eyes are scarcely less 
in their keenness than in their length of focal range. Telephone poles 
suit him to a T, and so devoted is the bird to this marshalled soldiery 
of civilization, that one wonders how he ever fared before the advent of 
telephone poles. It is on their account, doubtless, that the traveller 
gets such a strong impression of the Shrike’s abundance; for telephone 
poles and roads are ever close friends. 
Professor Beal has noted that the California Shrike dances close 
attendance upon the Kestrel, who is, likewise, fond of telephone poles, 
or wires; and Professor Beal thinks that although the lesser bird does 
not dare to disturb the Hawk, he is, nevertheless, jealous of his presence 
within the domain of his insect preserves, and means to keep close tab 
on his consumption of victuals. Be that as it may, their methods have 
nothing in common beyond use of the telephone service. From a 
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