== WINTER 
= 
zoo 400600800 
—— 
miles 
Fig. 12.— North American distribution of the northern 
ke. The species is also widely distributed in the Old World. 
tain proof of the occurrence of the northern shrike 
he southern Illinois area, despite the number of pub- 
ed reports to the contrary (Hurter 1884, Widmann 
7 and 1922, Comfort 1941, and Christmas counts for 
0, 1949, 1950, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1965). Hurter 
84) implies the existence of a specimen taken in the 
Louis area, but we have not located it. In the absence 
pecimens, photographs, or other very carefully docu- 
ited records, we have discounted all reports of the 
thern shrike for the southern half of Illinois (Hig 5131)’, 
The seasonal distribution of the northern shrike in 
101s is just as problematical as the geographic distribu- 
. Published records for the state run from October 
to April 16 (Ferry 1907, Bartel & Reuss 1932). We 
ted most of the northern shrike records for Illinois 
late (Fig. 14), and found that the records were fairly 
ormly distributed from October 20 through March, 
spt for three definite peaks —in late October, late 
rch, and during the Christmas count period. The 
istmas peak probably mainly reflects the increased in- 
st and coverage of observers preparing for and/or 
ducting censuses. The late October and March peaks 
cide suspiciously with the fall and spring migrations 
he loggerhead shrike in Illinois (Fig. 4 and 14). It 
f course, possible that these are periods of increased 
bers for the northern shrike as well, or periods of 
NORTHERN SHRIKE 
Winter Records (mainly) 
at OPI Betetint Bere 
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Fig. 13. — Northern shrike records for Illinois. A number of 
published records, especially for southern Illinois, were un- 
acceptable, and not plotted. Most, but not all, of the records are 
for the cold months (November-February). 
increased observer activity. Some observers state that 
there is a definite influx of northern shrikes in December 
(Nolan 1955, Petersen 1954), and the Christmas peak 
may thus be more than just increased observer activity, 
1.e., related directly to the biology of the northern shrike. 
Though the Christmas count data are crude, they 
comprise the only semblance of population data for the 
northern shrike in Illinois (Fig. 15). Over the 73-year 
history of the Christmas count, observers in northern 
Illinois have seen northern shrikes at the rate of about 
one per 140 party hours of observation versus about 560 
hours per loggerhead shrike. In central Illinois the rate 
was one northern shrike per 680 party hours, versus only 
60 hours per loggerhead. For the more recent years 
(1951-1970) when relatively complete mileage data were 
provided for the counts, observers saw one northern 
shrike per 800 party miles traveled in northern Illinois, 
and one per 8,000 miles in the central region. 
In recent decades northern shrikes have been re- 
ported every year in northern Illinois, but only about 
one year in three in the central region (Fig. 15). Even 
in northern Illinois the population shows marked annual 
15 
