Fledgling Loggerhead Shrike Begging For Food

I photographed a family of very cooperative Loggerhead Shrikes last week on Antelope Island.  The young birds had already fledged and were very actively exploring their world, strengthening their wing muscles by flying from perch to perch and testing a variety of objects for their potential food value.

And they were always ravenous for food.  When they thought it was feeding time they would sit on their various perches and very actively watch for one of the parents to come in with a snack.  And when that happened they became extremely animated and strident as they demanded food.

 

This one gave me a one-winged pose as it tried to keep its balance on the perch as it turned to face an adult approaching with food but a sibling got the morsel.

 

 

But almost immediately the other parent approached and the same bird put on its best begging routine by squawking loudly, spreading its wings and beginning to turn toward the potential meal.

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It was unsteady on the sagebrush perch as it did so…

 

 

but its focus of attention never left the adult with food.

 

 

Its efforts however were unsuccessful and this time a sibling got the meal.

 

 

I’ve photographed fledgling and juvenile shrikes many times over the years but I’ve never seen a family of them, both adults and youngsters, so gutsy!  They would land on the ground and various perches perhaps 5 – 10 feet from my pickup, make apparent attempts to land on our lenses sticking out the window and generally just ignore us as they went about their activities.  Several times a juvenile landed on the tailgate of my pickup as you can see here.  They were absolutely fearless.

What fun!

Ron