Bird Guide
Guide to North American Birds
Explore more than 800 North American bird species, learn about their lives and habitats, and how climate change is impacting their ability to survive.
3 birds
Loggerhead Shrike
Lanius ludovicianus
Shrikes
At a Glance
In open terrain, this predatory songbird watches from a wire or other high perch, then pounces on its prey: often a large insect, sometimes a small bird or a rodent. The Loggerhead is gradually disappearing from many areas, for reasons that are poorly understood.
Conservation Status
Near Threatened
Habitat
Desert and Arid Habitats, Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets, Urban and Suburban Habitats
Northern Shrike
Lanius borealis
Shrikes
At a Glance
This tough bird feeds on rodents and smaller birds for much of the year. It spends the summer in the far north, appearing in southern Canada and the lower 48 States only in winter. Solitary and wary, the shrike is likely to be seen perched at the top of a lone tree in an open field, watching for prey.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Forests and Woodlands, Freshwater Wetlands, Saltwater Wetlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets, Tundra and Boreal Habitats
Brown Shrike
Lanius cristatus
Shrikes
At a Glance
Common in Asia, this species is similar in habits to the North American shrikes, but it tends to be more elusive, spending less time perching conspicuously in the open. Brown Shrikes are rare visitors in spring and fall to western and southern Alaska, and have wandered as far south as California a few times.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets, Tundra and Boreal Habitats