Northern Shrike
(Lanius borealis)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N4B, N5N - Apparently Secure Breeding, Secure Nonbreeding SNRN - Unranked Nonbreeding |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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The black mask is narrow and does not extend above the bill onto the forehead. There is a white stripe over the eye. The breast and underparts are lightly barred. |
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Size |
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10¾″ in length 14½″ wingspan |
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Voice |
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Similar Species |
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Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) black mask is broader and extends above the bill onto the forehead. There is no white stripe over the eye. The breast and underparts are faintly gray, not barred. It is an occasional visitor in the summer and nests in Minnesota. It is very rare in the winter. Northern Shrikes and Loggerhead Shrikes are similar in appearance and difficult to distinguish from the distance at which they are usually seen. They are best identified by the time of year they are spotted. If a shrike is seen in Minnesota in the winter, it is almost certainly a Northern Shrike. If it is seen in the summer, it is definitely a Loggerhead Shrike. |
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Habitat |
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Forest openings |
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Biology |
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Migration |
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Early October to late April |
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Nesting |
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Food |
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Distribution |
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Occurrence |
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Common migrant in winter, absent in summer |
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Maps |
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The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
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Taxonomy |
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Until recently, Northern Shrike was classified as a subspecies of the Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor). It was reclassified as a separate species in 2017. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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East Eurasian group Altai Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis mollis) Sakhalin Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis bianchii) Siberian Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis sibiricus) Tien Shan Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis funereus) North American group American Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis borealis) Northwestern Shrike (Lanius borealis invictus) |
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Synonyms |
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Visitor Photos |
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Bruce |
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caught sparrow in my deck |
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Andrea Berger |
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Northern Shrike after eating a junco for dinner! |
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Mike Poeppe |
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Northern shrike |
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James Gordon |
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I saw 2 within 4 miles today , perching on overhead wires, and tree branches in ditch |
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Laurie Wachholz |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Northern Shrike Allen Chartier |
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| Northern Shrike Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren |
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| Northern Shrike JMC Nature Photos |
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| Shrikes Craig A. Mullenbach |
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| Shrike Hunt Craig A. Mullenbach |
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About
Ahats 12-08-2012 |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this bird. |
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Other Videos |
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| RI birders in search of the northern shrike ProvidenceJournal |
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About
Published on Mar 14, 2012 11.9.2011 - Phil Budlong, a volunteer with the Audubon Society of Rhode Island's Kimball Wildlife Refuge, lead a group of avid of bird watchers on their weekly walk this week at the Ninigret Conservation Area at East Beach. They were on the hunt for the rare northern shrike, which had been seen earlier in the week. Instead they saw many yellow-rumped warbler. Providence Journal video by Mary Murphy |
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| Northern Shrike video dianab97330 |
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About
Published on Nov 3, 2012 No description available. |
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| Pie griéche grise ibérique- Northern Shrike iberique - PhilippeFACQUET |
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About
Published on Apr 11, 2014 La pie grièche ibérique est en fait une pie grièche grise méridionale. |
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| Northern Shrike Mike McDowell |
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About
Uploaded on Dec 8, 2007 Northern Shrike hunting at Pheasant Branch Conservancy - Middleton, WI December 8th, 2007 |
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| Northern Shrike - Broemmelsiek Park Andrew Reago |
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About
Published on Mar 10, 2012 I digiscoped this Northern Shrike with my wife Chrissy McClarren (who spotted it) on 3/10/12 thanks to a call from Connie Alwood informing us that Chris Kirmaier had refound it. (And thanks to Shawn Clubb for discovering it in the first place.) We'd never been to this park in Missouri before. Cool! Meadowlarks, Mockingbirds, Bluebirds and Barred Owls abounded. It was fun helping another couple that birded together, Valerie and Phil Ross, find what turned out to be a lifer for them. And it was most fun sharing the experience with the company of Jim Malone. |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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| Andrea Berger 1/9/2023 |
Location: Angora MN caught sparrow in my deck |
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| JEFF 1/7/2023 |
Location: STILLWATER / GRANT TOOK A JUNCO, LANDED ON A/C UIT….PECKED IT A FEW TIMES AND FLEW OFF WITH THE JUNC. AMAZING SITING. |
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| Andrea Berger 12/22/2022 |
Location: Golden Valley, MN Northern Shrike after eating a junco for dinner! |
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| Mike Poeppe 11/17/2022 |
Location: Houston, MN |
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| Dave Johnson 1/10/2022 |
Location: 3 miles SW of Grand Rapids, MN Was doing a Project FeederWatch bird count when it appeared. It sat in a maple tree near our deck and watched the feeder for a short time before flying off. |
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| James Gordon 11/11/2021 |
Location: Big Swan Lake, Dassel, Mn 55325 I saw 2 within 4 miles today , perching on overhead wires, and tree branches in ditch |
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| Sandy 1/8/2017 |
Location: Esko Minnesota |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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