150
O N HABITS OF THE BLACK-BACKED
SHRIKE.
ON HABITS OF THE BLACK-BACKED SHRIKE. BY
GEORGE BIRD,
M.B.O.U.
is one of our less-known migrants, arriving here about 10 May and leaving as soon as family duties are finished. It has a predilection for dense whitethorn, blackthorn or bramble thickets that border upon open waste ground. Here the nest, a somewhat loosely-knit structure well lined with rabbits' fĂźr, sheeps' wool or horse-hair, is placed at usually seven or eight feet from the ground, though I have seen it as low as four. T h e birds lead an affectionate family life, both parents taking active part in the domestic duties ; but, outside this circle, no bird of its size is more to be feared. Although no relative of the raptores (' in fact, it is a distinct species Lantus collurio, L., for the British Isles '), it has all their ferocious courage and watches for prey from the vantage point of a wire fence or dead twig jutting from a bush. Thence it swoops upon its victim and pierces the skull with its slightly curved beak at once, extracting the brain, and then removes the body to its ' larder ' on an adjacent bush where it is spiked by the throat upon a thorn. T h e same bush is constantly used for this purpose, tili it sometimes supports a considerable collection of small birds, lizards, frogs, mice and beetles, suspended in various maturing conditions. THIS
T h e Shrike's vision must be remarkably acute, for I have seen it dart down fully thirty feet to pick a beetle out of grass ; so that a very effectual ' hide ' is needed to successfully study its habits. In ear'.y life the chicks are fed with dainty scraps of newly-killed flesh, and I have seen the male return to the nest with warm blood yet dripping from his beak (frontispiece) ; both parents come to it stealthily and without warning, quickly and silently in an almost uncanny manner, bringing only enough food at each visit for one chick and, when all have been fed, they kecf away for a half hour or more while preparing the next mea!. Although such a murderous little rascal, for he is no larger thar a Finch, there is great fascination in observing the w-ays of t h : Butcher bird.