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622. Loggerhead Shrike (Including Migrant, White-rumped, and California 
Shrikes), butcher-bird. Lanius ludovicianus. L, 9. Plate LXVI A. Somewhat larger 
than a Sparrow, smaller than a Robin. Crown and back soft, even, light slate-grey, lighten- 
ing on rump sometimes to white. Wings and tail black; the former with white bar across 
base of primaries and tips of secondaries; the latter with outer feathers largely white from 
the tip. All below white. A conspicuous broad, black bar through eye and along cheek. 
Sexes alike. 
Distinctions. The coloration of grey back, black and white wings and tail, black face 
bar, and white below, is distinctive for the Shrikes. Separable from the Northern Shrike 
by smaller size (wing under 4-25) and the lack of distinct dark vermiculations across 
underparts. Juveniles and extreme western birds may have a faint vermieulation on 
breast and flanks, but it is soft and undecided, and not strong and distinct. 
Field Marks. Grey back, white below, black and white wings and tail, and black 
bar across face are distinctive of Shrikes. Small size and summer occurrences in southern 
Canada are the best recognition marks for the species. 
Nesting. Nest of strips of bark, small twigs, vegetable fibres, lined with felted wool 
and feathers, in bushes or small trees, usually in those of thorny nature. 
Distribution. North America. In Canada, throughout the southern parts; rare 
n southern British Columbia. 
SUBSPECIES. A number of subspecies of this bird are recognized in the Check- 
list, and according to most authorities the name Loggerhead is applied to a more southern 
form, though it seems fit to apply it here to the whole species. The eastern Canadian form 
is the Migrant Shrike Lanius ludovicianus migrans. It extends west probably to the eastern 
bluffy parts of Manitoba, though it is separated from the next form by such slight and 
variable characters that the geographical boundary between them is rather uncertain. 
Over the prairies westward is the White-rumped Shrike Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides , 
that extends to the mountains. It is very slightly paler grey, with whiter rump and more 
white on tips of scapulars. In southern British Columbia, the California Shrike Lanius 
ludovicianus gambeli occurs as a straggler. It has a back like the Migrant, a rump like the 
White-rumped, but is slightly browner than either and has suggestions of vermiculations 
on chest and sides of breast in the adult as well as the juvenile. 
The Loggerhead is a bird of open, brushy pastures and hillsides. 
Thornapple or similar thorny trees, cropped and trimmed by cattle until 
dense and repellent, are its favourite nesting sites, and in such neighbour- 
hoods it may be seen, usually on a commanding perch, such as the tip of a 
dead sapling, or a telegraph-wire, keenly regarding the surrounding country. 
The impaling of prey is not quite so strongly developed a habit in this 
species as in the previous one, probably because it eats more insects and 
can handle much of its smaller prey without so doing. At any rate evidence 
in the form of remains stuck on thorns is somewhat rare in haunts of 
, the species and where they would be expected to be plentiful. The song 
of the Loggerhead Shrike is quite musical and pleasing, but the call-notes 
are harsh and discordant. 
Economic Status. The food habits of the Loggerhead are similar to 
those of the Northern Shrike, differing only as would be expected in a 
smaller and weaker bird and a summer rather than a winter resident. 
Thus we find that fewer birds and mammals and more insects are taken, 
indeed during the height of the insect season insects seem to constitute the 
greater part of its food. Early in the summer great numbers of beetles 
are eaten, useful and harmful forms being about equally divided in numbers. 
Later, grasshoppers and crickets form a large proportion of the food, but 
numbers of caterpillars — many of them hairy — cutworms, some wasps, 
spiders, and other insect forms are also taken. The food of the species 
throughout the year is regarded by the United States Biological Survey as 
being beneficial in the ratio of 4 to 1. 
