. The birds of California : a complete, scientific and popular account of the 580 species and subspecies of birds found in the state. Birds; Birds. The White-rumped Shrikes commanding station, if it be no better than a weed-top, this Shrike searches the ground with his eye until he detects a suspicious movement of insect, mouse, or bird. The bird can spot a cricket at sixty feet, Tyler says, and I think that is well within the mark. Then he darts toward his quarry, settles, and strikes with his beak, or else skirmishes nimbly in mid-air if the creature seeks to elude him. From a successful for
. The birds of California : a complete, scientific and popular account of the 580 species and subspecies of birds found in the state. Birds; Birds. The White-rumped Shrikes commanding station, if it be no better than a weed-top, this Shrike searches the ground with his eye until he detects a suspicious movement of insect, mouse, or bird. The bird can spot a cricket at sixty feet, Tyler says, and I think that is well within the mark. Then he darts toward his quarry, settles, and strikes with his beak, or else skirmishes nimbly in mid-air if the creature seeks to elude him. From a successful foray the Shrike returns to devour at leisure; but if the victim is large or ungainly, he must have help from a sharp crotch, or a splinter, or the barb of a fence- wire even, to hold it; for here again he is no hawk, and does not know how to clutch with his feet. In flight, the Shrike moves either by successive plunges and noisy ascensions, or else pitches down from his perch and wings rapidly over the surface of the vegetation. He does not exhibit much local attachment, but rather roves restlessly from post to post, so as not to wear out his welcome with the crick- ets. All the Shrike's operations are direct and business-like; and if he pauses a moment to look over his shoulder as you whirl by in your automobile, you get an impression of a very alert bird-person,—no loafer, but a Twentieth Century brother in feathers. The nervous energy which characterizes the California Shrike has got him into trouble with the ladies. He has to be doing something, so when his appetite is satisfied, he just goes right on killing—for the fun of it. He doesn't waste the game, exactly—at least he doesn't mean to—for having killed a mouse or a grasshopper, he hunts up a splinter or a thorn, and neatly impales his victim upon it. He might be hungry some time, you know. That the bird does occasionally return to feast upon this stored-up provender is pretty clearly known; but at the best his ki
Size: 1320px × 1892px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1923
