Butcher Bird II

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Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) is a songbird that hunts like a small hawk. Preying on insects and other small animals (including birds).
In the past they were widely distributed around farms and suburbs. They have often been known as butcherbirds, because their habit of impaling prey on thorns reminded people of the way butchers hang meat. By this ingenious method, shrikes compensate for the lack of strong talons with which birds of prey hold their catches while they bite off edible chunks. A close relative, the Northern Shrike, has also adapted to the lifestyle of a hawk.

In the past few years, the Loggerhead Shrike has aroused serious concern because of its declining numbers throughout its range in Canada and the United States.