Female Loggerhead Shrikes accept prey from the male when they’re forming a pair bond and throughout the incubation and nesting period. I don’t know precisely which courtship stage this pair was in but they were clearly having a bonding moment.
I’ve posted other photos of this behavior but these four images are new to my blog. I’m not including image techs because my camera settings were inappropriate for the situation. I screwed up but the photos still turned out.
This is the female, photographed in April of this year on Antelope Island. In this species sexes are similar but males are larger and females usually have some brown tones in their black primaries that males don’t share. Notice the brown tones on her wingtips. They’re subtle but they’re there.
I knew there was another shrike close by but at the time I didn’t know it was a male or that it was bonding with this female. I should have considered that possibility because she was obviously watching him carefully wherever he went but I missed that behavioral cue.
Suddenly the male came from out of nowhere and landed right next to her with a treat that I believe was a small insect grub. In a tender moment for both of them he fed it to her almost immediately and quite daintily.
She had her head turned away from me as she was swallowing it but here she’s still gulping it down.
And then the betrothed couple seemed to enjoy each other’s company for a few moments before the female flew off, soon followed by the male. I see and photograph adult shrikes feeding their offspring more often than I do their courtship feeding so these photos were a welcome addition to my behavioral portfolio.
Besides I love shrikes, nasty little wannabe raptors that they are. Just kidding (sorta) about that “nasty” part but you should see some of the things I’ve seen…
Ron
Great behavior images of Loggerheads! That had to be a ton of fun and very rewarding to capture these images. Well done!
I have seen shrikes of both species maybe 2-3 times in my 82 years! They are tough!
Sorry I’m late today – Beautiful, COLD, sunny here in the Northeast! Hurrah! Early AM it was terrific weather for pictures, but got skunked! Maybe it was too cold.
So, my pet skunk is visiting you now, huh? While he’s out of town I’d go shooting if we only had some light!
Great captures, the colors are lovely. Creative niches in life. Where there is an opportunity nature will fill the gap. I am all caught up with this weeks blogs. I think I am getting to old to work my job, but not ready to retire!
Well, you’re at least thinking about retirement, April. Just think, all the time in the world for bird photography… 🙂
But in my case no money for fun. I returned to work too late in life after raising children.
Definitely an awwww moment. And beautiful portraits of it. Mind you the sick puppy who lives in my head thought immediately of a movie I saw (not by choice) titled Psychos in Love.
PS: Very, very glad to hear your back is a smidge better.
EC, that movie title sounded so… intriguing I had to look it up.
“Joe, a bartender, and Kate, a manicurist, meet after trying to find a significant other for a long time. They are both murderers. Before meeting Kate, Joe murdered many women after bringing them to his home. A cannibal plumber, Herman, blackmails the serial killers”
I think I’ll pass on that one. 🙂
Wise move.
These adorable little birds eat other birds?! I’ve never seen them in my neck of the woods. They do strike quite a handsome pose! Thanks for the lovely series.
Yes, among other things. They also kill and eat small mammals like voles and mice. “Wannabe raptors” is an apt description, Donna.
That last looks they are posing for an Audubon portrait.
Agreed.
I feel the same was about Loggerhead Shrikes, Ron! A dear friend of mine who teaches a Watercolor class of birds at Green Cay Wetlands is also a photographer. He is actually very lucky to have a Shrike pair in his community where he lives & he’s been able to photograph a pair raising young – I believe it’s up to a count of 4 now. He did a lecture on Shrikes with photos of his pair at one of our “Science for Seniors” lectures at Green Cay. I fell in love with these Raptor wanna-bes during his talk. Your blog today means your captures are SO special to me!! I will be sure to share your blog today with Phil – He’ll be blown away!! Oh – I forgot to tell you that the feeding capture is SO tender, I said “awww right out loud!!
Your friend Phil is a lucky man, Jo Ann. I only get glimpses of the behaviors that he probably sees in great detail.
Wonderful series Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
Beautiful series Ron. Never knew they had raptor tendencies until a previous post of yours a few months back. They really are handsome birds.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
I agree, Everett – handsome describes them well. Thanks.
Neat series, Ron…… 🙂 “Pretty birds” in this sequence even if their habits are a bit gruesome. 🙂 We see them(couldn’t tell you if they are northern or loggerhead)rarely but know they’re around when we do as they clear out the bird feeder and pretty much silence the other birds in the area when they come though at high speed and then perch in the open for a bit……
Yup, that’s exactly what they do when they’re hunting small birds, Judy. Interesting that songbirds recognize them as a predator despite the similarities they share. I wonder if that recognition is innate…
Thank you for documenting a little of their (mating) behavior. Your last paragraph induced me to read more about them. Kind of a passerine and wannabe raptor.
I hope your back is a bit better today.
“Kind of a passerine and wannabe raptor”
They can be ferocious little predators, especially when preying on small mammals and birds, Lyle. They’re missing some of the tools of true raptors (talons for example) so the process of tearing prey apart and eating it can be incredibly inefficient, messy and barbaric-looking. Throw in their strong tendency to impale their prey on things like thorns and barbs to give them some leverage as they’re pulling victims apart and watching them do it can be particularly gruesome.
So far the back is a little better today, probably thanks to the prednisone. I even slept better last night. Thanks for your concern.
Ron, your comment about their technique of impaling victims definitely adds to their label of Raptor wanna-be!! I will say it helped that I’d been following Bald Eagles pairs for a while & had come to accept the killing & feeding on their prey before I saw photos of Shrikes doing the “dirty deed!! LOL!!
Lovely photos, especially the last one. The background blends beautifully with the birds and the dried foliage and the lighting is the right intensity here. Perfect. I have only seen one of these birds and was so enthralled looking at it because I didn’t know what it was I never got the picture…next time I’ll know. 🤪
Kathy, I don’t know why WordPress chooses to occasionally force me to approve comments from folks who have commented before. It’s not supposed to do that with my settings as they are so I guess it’s just a little temperamental. I chose to leave both your comments up so other folks can see an explanation if/when it happens to them.
What strikingly handsome birds, and what a wonderful behavioral “catch”– I really enjoyed this post !
Glad to hear it, Kris. Thanks.
Lovely photos, especially the last one. It is a one worth of hanging centerstage of a collection. The background colors blend extremely well with the birds and the dried foliage. I’ve only been lucky enough to see one of these birds…at the time I didn’t know what it was and was so busy looking I forgot to take the picture.
I think that last shot is the best one aesthetically too. Thanks, Kathy.