Sunday, February 13, 2011



Although this is not a very good picture we felt it was worth posting. This is a Northern Shrike-It is a preditory songbird, not a hawk. It eats small birds, insects, and mice. We have seen them store their kill by impalling on the thorns of plum trees. It is about the size of a Robin-note the hook on the end of its bill for ripping prey. In the summer its close cousin the Loggerhead Shrike inhabits S.E. Minnesota.