---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 07:33:43 +0000
From: Eric C. Atkinson <eatkinso at VARNEY.IDBSU.EDU>
Subject: NORTHERN SHRIKE ARRIVAL, Request

Greetings!

As winter breathes down my neck, once again my thoughts turn to
the watchful butcher. As part of my attempts to understand the
population and winter ecology of Northern Shrikes, I would appreciate
birders et al. to be on the lookout for this species this winter.

Specifically, I am interested in the timing of arrival across the
wintering grounds by Northern Shrikes. Are the earliest arrivals,
generally, hatch-year birds? Do the hatch-year birds seem to settle
in areas of lower habitat quality? What is the residence time of
shrikes across northern US and Canada? How much (and when) do you
observe shrikes singing during the winter? When do the shrikes
leave in the spring? Do they appear to be sight-faithful during the
winter months?

As a little natural history background, if you are interested, to
shed light on this species and some of my interests, I suggest
looking at:

Cade, T.J. 1967. Ecological and behavioral aspects of predation by
the Northern Shrike. Living Bird 6:43-86.

Atkinson, E.C. 1993. Winter territories and night roosts of Northern
Shrikes in Idaho. Condor 95:515-527.

Atkinson, E.C. and T.J. Cade. 1993. Winter foraging and diet
composition of Northern Shrikes in Idaho. Condor 95:528-535.

Any such information I will greatly appreciate and acknowledge.

Good shriking, but, 3 shrikes and you're out!


_________________________________________________________
Eric C. Atkinson
Raptor Research Center
Boise State University
Boise, ID 83725 USA
voice: 208-362-3871
fax: 208-362-2376
EATKINSO at VARNEY.IDBSU.EDU

"One could do worse than be a swinger of birches." Robert Frost