“Loggerhead” refers to the unusually large size of this bird’s head when compared to the rest of its body. Loggerhead shrikes have a gray stocky body with a large blocky head. Their bill is thick and has a small hook on its end. The gray head contrasts with the wide, black mask, black bill and white throat. The wings and tail are black with white patches on the wings and some white on the outer tail feathers. Their body can range from 8 to 9 inches in length with a wing-span of up to 12 inches. The female loggerhead shrike is smaller and often has faint markings on the breast, slightly browner upperparts, and a less extensive face mask. The juvenile resembles the adult, but is a paler brownish-gray, with fine barring above and below, a browner face mask, a buffy bar on the wing and a pale base to the lower beak The Loggerhead Shrike is found in the Great Basin year around. Where it is a resident they usually live in pairs on
permanent territories. Some pairs will spend the entire year on one territory. This shrike usually builds its nest in a thorny tree or shrub such as a large sagebrush. The female does the majority of the building using sticks, grass and bark strips. The bulky cup like nest is lined with plant fibers, moss, grass and animal hair. Sometimes even paper or cloth have been used. The female incubates from 1 to 9 eggs for about 15 to 17 days. During this time she is fed by the male. Both adults feed the chicks which leave the nest at around 16 to 21 days old. The young shrikes become independent after three to four weeks but have been known to stay with the adults for up to three months.
Bristlecone Audubon will have its next meeting on January 16, 2015 6:30 p.m. at Great Basin College EIT Building Room 208. There will be a presentation on Birds and Climate Change. For more information contact Lois Ports at ports@frontiernet.net.
january 2015 | everythingelko.com
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