Shrike bait

[Larry]

Very cool indeed. We also called them butcher birds growing up. Happened upon many a grasshopper and cricket impaled on barbed wire when we were running around out in the country.

[catslayer]

We grew up calling them butcher birds.

THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE! I have heard of these!

[WTK]

[tbeak]

Cool. I can't say I have ever seen one in East Texas. I'll be looking for them now.

You probably won't. More of a desert open land type bird

[Limbwalker]

Actually, they are found in nearly all the state wherever there are open areas. Even in E. Texas. Their habitat is native prairie. The reason they are "dang" special status species is because they and many other grassland birds (including quail) have had their habitat converted to non-native grasses and their food supply (primarily insects or animals that eat insects) has been affected by pesticides and non-native fire ants.

As go the Loggerhead Shrike, so go the scissor-tailed flycatchers, the meadowlark, the horned lizard (horny toad), the quail and anything else that depends on insects and seeds of the native prairies.

[Double EE]

cool