Shrike

Shrike, common name applied to many unrelated groups of passerine birds that have in common a strongly hooked bill and predacious habits. The true shrikes are found from Scandinavia to Africa and the East Indies. One species, the great gray shrike, invaded North America, where it evolved into a smaller species, the loggerhead shrike. Later another invasion occurred; these birds are still only subspecifically different from their Eurasian ancestors, and are called northern shrikes in North America. Both are pale gray with paler-gray or white underparts, a black facial mask, and the wings and tail black with white markings. The northern shrike has faintly barred underparts and is up to 25 cm (10 in) long; the loggerhead shrike reaches only about 23 cm (about 9 in). Both species feed on insects and small vertebrates, which they often impale on thorns or barbed wire for later consumption.

Some Eurasian true shrikes are more colorful than the American species; for example the woodchat shrike of southern Europe has a black back contrasting with a white rump and wing patches and a chestnut crown and nape. Several groups called shrikes, including the highly colorful African bush shrikes, appear not to be closely related to the true shrikes. The peppershrikes are vireos with shrikelike bills.

Scientific classification: True shrikes belong to the family Laniidae of the order Passeriformes. The great gray, or northern, shrike is classified as Lanius excubitor; the loggerhead shrike as Lanius ludovicianus; and the woodchat shrike as Lanius senator.

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