Subject: Shrike Behavior
Date: Jul 10 07:28:19 1995
From: c:\netmanag\email\btlc - btlc at name1.ak.net.neb.neb.neb


Tweets,

Just got back from an exciting birding day on the Denali Highway, where
we searched for and found Upland Sandpiper, Arctic Warbler and Smith's
Longspur. Gordon Tans was our guide and he confessed at the end of the
trip that he had scouted for those three species the day before at the
same spots and been totally skunked. What a difference a day makes!

One of our most interesting observations was of Northern Shrike,
however. Some of us had observed a shrike in the area, but everyone was
focussed on American Golden Plovers (with young), when suddenly the
shrike flew across the road, carrying a small bird (redpoll?) in its
feet. This is the second time this year I've had the opportunity to see
a shrike carrying prey and both times it carried in the feet and flew
about 10 feet off the ground, flapping energetically. Both times, it was
on an uphill course.

This shrike disappeared into some bushes for a while. When we saw it
again, it was sitting calmly in a bush, observing the road and lower
slopes. In panning across the shrike's side of the road, we spotted a
dead spruce snag (tangle, actually) with a juvenile shrike atop it. Aha!
Further observation disclosed two more juvenile shrikes lower down the
tangle. Could there be a relationship - of course. Soon the adult flew
over to them, carrying the redpoll again (or most of it. I think the
head had already been consumed). It snagged the corpse on a jagged stump
and began tugging at it. At one point, it spit out a big wad of
feathers. Then if tore off pieces and fed them to the nearest juvenile.
Soon, the next nearest juvenile came down to get its cut and after an
impatient moment waiting for Mama (or Pa) to pull off a piece, it
scarfed down the entire lower 1/3 of the prey. Tail feathers about 2
inches long protruded from its mouth and at that point it sort of
gagged. The parent caught the tail feathers in its beak and did
something (pulled? twisted?) that solved the problem. We couldn't see
exactly what became of the tail feathers but they no longer stuck out of
the young shrike's beak.

Meanwhile, junior #3 was sitting at the highest point on the snag, beak
open (young shrikes have yellow mouth linings we now know), missing the
whole show. After the prey was gone, it hopped down to a lower branch
and begged. Sorry, kid.

Another interesting behavior observation - merlin stooping repeatedly on
a golden eagle.

Great birding day, with mixed rain and sun. Highway was in good shape,
thank goodness they didn't have the money to tear it up and start paving
it this year. Come as soon as you can.

Chris Maack
Bird Treatment & Learning Center
Anchorage, AK
btlc at name1.ak.net