Northern Shrike
Lanius borealis
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyLaniidae (Shrikes)
- GenusLanius (Typical Shrikes)
- SpeciesLanius borealis (Northern Shrike)
About the Northern Shrike
The northern shrike (Lanius borealis) is a large songbird species in the shrike family (Laniidae) native to North America and Siberia. Long considered a subspecies of the great grey shrike, it was classified as a distinct species in 2017. Six subspecies are recognised.
The northern shrike was formally described by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1808 under its present binomial name Lanius borealis. In the 19th century, North American ornithologists considered it as a separate species from the great grey shrike, while European authorities held them to be the same species. American ornithologist Alden H. Miller investigated differences between the Siberian and Alaskan populations in 1930 and could find no consistent differences, hence he recommended combining the two into Lanius excubitor.
In North America, this and the related loggerhead shrike are commonly known as butcherbirds for their habit of impaling prey on thorns or spikes. A folk name from Michigan is winter butcherbird. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation people of Old Crow, Yukon call it Tzi kwut go katshi lyi. As a passerine, or song bird, it has no talons. It has the hooked beak of a raptor... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Northern Shrike in Olympic National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Olympic National Park
Brown Shrike
Lanius cristatus
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Poecile rufescens
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Spotted Towhee
Pipilo maculatus
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Denali National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | |
| 5 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Wood Buffalo National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Gros Morne National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Kenai Fjords National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Northern Shrike in Olympic National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Shrike sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 98 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Northern Shrike in Olympic National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Northern Shrike in Olympic National Park in our monthly data.