Post by Gord on Jun 17, 2011 11:30:42 GMT -8
I probably should have shared this before hinting about it in other threads.
I was sent photos of a Loggerhead Shrike from west of Hope that had been there two weeks. It looked sick, but had shown signs of improvement. Between that and that it was in private lands, it was decided to quietly watch and hope it would improve. Yesterday I stopped to check on it. It had not been seen for a couple days so we hoped it had moved on. Sadly, looking under the tree it liked to sit in, it was found dead.
There was no outwards sign of injury. Secondary poisoning is suspected as being a predator of mice and large insects, they can ingest poisoned animals when they eat them. Apparently this is a big problem for the shrike, which is a listed species and declining, in much of its usual range where the use of poison is common. It was a young bird that had hatched last summer based on the feathers which are actually visible in the below photos. The contrast in the wing feathers (black on new adult feathers contrasting with the dusky grey on young feathers) shows the age.
Ive attached a couple photos that were sent to me.
I was sent photos of a Loggerhead Shrike from west of Hope that had been there two weeks. It looked sick, but had shown signs of improvement. Between that and that it was in private lands, it was decided to quietly watch and hope it would improve. Yesterday I stopped to check on it. It had not been seen for a couple days so we hoped it had moved on. Sadly, looking under the tree it liked to sit in, it was found dead.
There was no outwards sign of injury. Secondary poisoning is suspected as being a predator of mice and large insects, they can ingest poisoned animals when they eat them. Apparently this is a big problem for the shrike, which is a listed species and declining, in much of its usual range where the use of poison is common. It was a young bird that had hatched last summer based on the feathers which are actually visible in the below photos. The contrast in the wing feathers (black on new adult feathers contrasting with the dusky grey on young feathers) shows the age. Ive attached a couple photos that were sent to me.