Birding at MOSI Outside: Loggerhead Shrikes

  The Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) is a year round bird Florida residents, but at MOSI we have only observed them in the winter. These grey, black and white birds are about the size of mocking birds and have a distinctive black stripe of a ‘mask’ over their eyes. Their beaks are also black and are hooked at the end.

Shrikes are also known as “Butcher Birds”. This species looks small but they are adept hunters. They will eat many forms of prey ranging from insects to lizards, mice and sometimes even other birds. Lacking the talons of larger birds of prey, this small species impales their prey on thorns or barbed wire to hold them in place and then uses their hooked beak to tear apart their dinner.

Loggerhead Shrikes will scan for food from perches in trees and trellises and will dive to the ground upon seeing a tasty snack. Here in the gardens, Shrikes watch us as we weed and garden, just waiting for us to get out of the way. As soon as we clean up our tools and step back, the Loggerhead Shrikes will swoop in to collect the insects and worms that we have turned up while digging and planting.

What’s in a Name?

The genus Lanius is Latin for "butcher" and includes over 25 species found in North America, Europe and Eurasia. The specific name ludovicianus means "from Louisiana" where this species was first described in 1766 by Carl Linnaeus.