The brown shrike is a bird that lives in the western parts of the aleutian archipelago in Alaska, St.Lawrence Island and near Anchorage. In fall and winter, they can be found in California. It is Asian natively and can be found in China, Japan and Siberia.
Appearance
It is a small shrike, with warm brown upperparts and buff underparts. It's face is white with black mask; it's throat is white. The bill is short, heavy, and hooked. The tail is long and round-tipped with faint bars.
Diet
It eats small snakes, rodents, birds and insects.
Lifespan
Unknown.
Life
They lay eggs from May-June. Four to seven brown spotted, pink or white eggs are laid in a nest made of sticks lined with feathers, hair, and fine materials. Incubation ranges from 12 to 16 days and is carried out by the female.
Status
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Few data on population levels. Possibly fairly common in much of range; uncommon to rare in Japan. No information on current status
Fun Facts
- The brown shrike has names in several languages-
French: Pie-grièche brune
German: Braunwürger
Spanish: Alcaudón pardo
- Their call is a harsh "chack" and song is a trilling
“jun-jun-jun," “kichi-kichi-kichi,” or “gey, gey, gey”. Males may imitate songs and calls of other birds.
- It forages by perching on a bush, fence post, or power line; prey is often
taken to a larder and impaled on a thorn or wedged in a fork.
- It is similar to the morningbird, It is brown, has a longer, straight bill, and is much more common.
- A group of shrikes is an abbatoir or a watch.
Resources
https://identify.whatbird.com/obj/208/overview/Brown_Shrike.aspx