The Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) is a songbird found throughout North America. This predatory bird has a large range that spans much of the continent. Loggerhead Shrikes occupy a variety of habitats across their widespread distribution.
Breeding Range
During the breeding season, Loggerhead Shrikes are found across much of North America. Their breeding range extends from southern Canada down through the United States and into Mexico.
In Canada, Loggerhead Shrikes breed in southeastern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, and southwestern Ontario. The core of their Canadian breeding range is in the grasslands of the Canadian Prairies.
In the United States, Loggerhead Shrikes inhabit every state except Hawaii. They are absent from northern New England, upstate New York, northern Michigan, and western Washington and Oregon. Their breeding range covers most of the Lower 48 states.
Loggerhead Shrikes breed across Mexico. They are found in most Mexican states, being absent only from the Yucatan Peninsula and Baja California.
Eastern United States
In the eastern United States, Loggerhead Shrikes breed from New Jersey and Pennsylvania south to Florida. They are also found west along the Gulf Coast through eastern Texas. Further inland, their eastern breeding range extends north up the Mississippi River valley to Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Western United States
Loggerhead Shrikes occupy the majority of western North America during the breeding season. Along the West Coast, they breed from southern British Columbia through Washington, Oregon and California. Their range extends east across the western half of the continent into the Great Plains and Southwest.
In the Northwest, Loggerhead Shrikes breed in Washington east of the Cascades, northeastern Oregon, northern Idaho and western Montana. They are widespread throughout the interior West from the Rocky Mountains west to the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range.
Along the Pacific Coast, Loggerhead Shrikes breed in southwestern British Columbia, western Washington and Oregon, and throughout California including the Central Valley. Their coastal range extends south along the Baja Peninsula.
In the Southwest, Loggerhead Shrikes inhabit eastern California, southern Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas. They are found throughout the arid deserts and grasslands of this region.
Further north, Loggerhead Shrikes breed across the western Great Plains from North Dakota south to Texas. They inhabit shortgrass prairies, shrublands, and agricultural areas throughout the Great Plains.
Wintering Range
The winter range of Loggerhead Shrikes is concentrated in the southern United States and Mexico. Most breeding populations that nest in Canada and the northern United States migrate south for the winter.
United States
In the United States, Loggerhead Shrikes winter primarily in the southern half of the country. Small numbers may overwinter as far north as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Oregon during mild winters.
Their core winter range includes Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Loggerhead Shrikes winter throughout the southern Great Plains, Southwest, and West Coast. Scattered winter populations are also found in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida.
Mexico
Mexico hosts significant wintering populations of Loggerhead Shrikes. They are widespread throughout Mexico in winter, occupying both coastal and interior regions. The Yucatan Peninsula and tropical southern Mexico support the highest winter densities.
On the Pacific Coast, Loggerhead Shrikes winter from Baja California south to Oaxaca. In western Mexico, they are found down the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre del Sur mountain ranges. Loggerhead Shrikes inhabit western coastal plains and foothills in winter.
In interior Mexico, Loggerhead Shrikes winter in the Mexican Plateau region, including the states of Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, Queretaro, Hidalgo, and Puebla. They occupy plains, foothills and agricultural areas.
On the Gulf Coast, significant numbers of Loggerhead Shrikes winter in northeastern Mexico. The coastal plains of Tamaulipas, Veracruz and Tabasco support wintering shrikes. Their winter range extends south along the Gulf coastline through Campeche and the Yucatan Peninsula.
Habitats
Loggerhead Shrikes occupy a variety of open habitats across North America. They thrive in spaces with scattered trees, shrubs, and other perching, hunting and nesting sites. Both natural and human-altered habitats are utilized.
Grasslands
Grassland habitats like prairies, meadows, pastures and savannas are favored by Loggerhead Shrikes. They often perch on fence posts or low bushes to hunt for small mammals, lizards, insects and other prey in grasslands.
On the Great Plains, Loggerhead Shrikes inhabit shortgrass and mixed-grass prairies. They are also found in Palouse prairie and intermountain grasslands in the West.
Deserts and Arid Shrublands
Loggerhead Shrikes occupy desert and arid shrubland ecosystems across the southern United States and Mexico. Desert habitats used include the Mojave, Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts. Chaparral, creosote bush flats and arid scrublands are also inhabited.
In desert regions, Loggerhead Shrikes perch on yuccas, Joshua trees, mesquite, and other desert plants to hunt. They nest in thorny bushes and cacti.
Agricultural Areas
Loggerhead Shrikes readily use agricultural environments, including croplands, pastures, and ranches. They often perch on fence lines to scan for prey in open fields. Nests are built in lone trees, shrubs and shelterbelts in agricultural areas.
Orchards, vineyards, and other croplands planted with scattered trees also provide habitat. Loggerhead Shrikes find nesting and perching sites in these agricultural environments across much of their range.
Riparian Zones
Although primarily found in open country, Loggerhead Shrikes will utilize scattered trees along riparian areas. Trees along rivers, streams, washes and other watercourses provide nesting and perching habitat. Breeding birds are often found in riparian areas adjacent to grasslands or deserts.
Exurban Areas
As rural, exurban development expands, Loggerhead Shrikes have adapted to utilize these areas. Parks, golf courses, pastures, and scattered residential neighborhoods can provide suitable habitat. They often nest and perch in ornamental trees and shrubs in suburban fringe areas within their range.
Geographic Areas
Across their breeding range in North America, Loggerhead Shrikes are found in various geographic regions and ecological areas. Some specifics areas where they occur are outlined below.
Canadian Prairies
In Canada, Loggerhead Shrikes primarily inhabit native grasslands across the Prairie Provinces. The dry mixed-grass prairie and moist mixed-grass prairie of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba support breeding shrikes. Some are also found in aspen parklands farther north and east.
Great Plains
The Great Plains host significant breeding populations of Loggerhead Shrikes. They are common in native shortgrass and mixed-grass prairies, as well as surrounding agricultural lands. Conservation lands, pastures, shelterbelts and riparian areas provide habitat across the Great Plains.
In winter, they withdraw somewhat southward but remain widespread across the southern plains of Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.
Intermountain West
Throughout the Intermountain West, Loggerhead Shrikes breed in open basins and valleys. Sagebrush steppe, mountain meadows, pi??on-juniper woodlands, and other arid habitats are occupied. Agricultural areas, landscaped suburbs and riparian areas also provide habitat.
Wintering Loggerhead Shrikes remain common in milder climates of the Southwest and southern California. Some may migrate south into Mexico.
Pacific Coast
Along the Pacific Coast, Loggerhead Shrikes occur in drier interior valleys west of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range. Grasslands, oak savannas, agricultural and exurban areas are used. Coastal areas are generally avoided but they may utilize coastal valley habitats.
The Central Valley of California hosts significant breeding and wintering populations. Loggerhead Shrikes decline along the moist Pacific Northwest coast, reaching their northern limit in southwestern British Columbia.
Southeastern United States
In the Southeast, Loggerhead Shrikes breed primarily in open pine savannas and pasturelands. Longleaf pine grasslands support breeding shrikes, especially on the coastal plain. Agricultural areas, prairie fragments and clearcuts also provide habitat throughout the southeastern United States.
Gulf Coast
Along the Gulf Coast, Loggerhead Shrikes inhabit open coastal prairies and pine savannas. Coastal marshes, brushlands, pastures and agricultural areas are also utilized. Gulf coastal plains and prairies provide habitat for breeding and wintering shrikes.
Elevation Ranges
Loggerhead Shrikes occupy a wide range of elevations across their North American distribution. Elevations range from below sea level to over 9,000 feet.
In Canada and the northern United States, Loggerhead Shrikes are generally found at lower elevations. They rarely exceed 3,300 feet in these northern breeding areas. Most are below 2,000 feet elevation in the northern extents of their range.
Farther south, Loggerhead Shrikes occur at higher elevations. In the western United States, breeding birds may be found up to 6,600 feet in valleys and basins. The highest breeding densities are below 5,000 feet.
In the mountains of Mexico, Loggerhead Shrikes have been recorded breeding at elevations up to 9,000 feet. However, most wintering birds occupy lower coastal and interior elevations in Mexico.
Population Trends
Loggerhead Shrike populations have experienced significant declines across much of North America in recent decades. Habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and other factors have caused reductions in many areas.
Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data from 1966-2019 shows a range-wide population decline of 2.7% per year for Loggerhead Shrikes in North America. Steeper declines have occurred in the Midwest and Northeast.
Loggerhead Shrikes have disappeared from many parts of their historic breeding range. Significant range contractions have occurred in New England, Ontario, Iowa, and parts of the Midwest. Populations remain stable or increasing in other regions such as California and the Southeast.
Ongoing conservation efforts seek to protect remaining habitat and reverse population declines. Maintaining grasslands, reducing pesticide use, and increasing nest sites will benefit Loggerhead Shrike populations across North America.
Conclusion
In summary, Loggerhead Shrikes have an expansive breeding distribution across North America. They inhabit open country across most of the United States, Mexico and south-central Canada. Suitable habitat includes grasslands, deserts, agricultural areas and open woodlands.
Their winter range concentrates in the southern United States and Mexico. Loggerhead Shrikes occupy a diversity of geographic regions and elevation ranges. While populations have declined overall, they remain a widespread species found across much of the continent during the breeding season and winter months.