Critically endangered Eastern Loggerhead Shrike reappears in Quebec after 15 years
By Tara Imlay and Jessica Steiner, Biologists
Wildlife Preservation Canada
In early June, a captive-reared bird released in Ontario in 2009 was spotted in southwestern Quebec, by one of the province’s Breeding Bird Atlas participants. By deciphering the bird’s 4-colour band combination, and through successful trapping efforts, the bird was identified as having been released from the Carden Plain Field Site, nearly 300 km away. The bird discovered in Quebec was paired with a wild shrike and had successfully bred, fledging 3 young. The last breeding pair in Quebec was documented in 1995, 15 years ago! The 2009 captive-breeding season received funding from WWF through the Species At Risk Research Fund for Ontario (SARRFO), to support work with captive young to uncover migration routes and wintering grounds for the species.
The Eastern Loggerhead Shrike is one of Canada’s rarest birds. Although considered a songbird, the robin-sized shrike hunts like a raptor, catching amphibians, small reptiles and mammals, and even other songbirds to supplement its mainly insect diet. Its unique habit of impaling prey on the thorns of woody shrubs, usually hawthorns, and barbed wire has gained it the nickname “Butcher Bird.”
Historically the eastern subspecies was found throughout Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and parts of New Brunswick, however it has since vanished from much of its range. More recently this predatory songbird was found only in the southeastern corner of Manitoba and in four widely-separated locations in southern Ontario. In 2009, fewer than 35 pairs were found in the wild, with the vast majority breeding in Ontario.
Since 2001 an innovative field breeding and release program has been undertaken annually in Ontario to help augment the remaining wild population. Captive pairs are bred in large field enclosures situated within natural shrike habitat. Parents raise their own young, teaching them to hunt, and recognize and avoid predators. The young birds are released from late July into early September once they gain independence from their parents. The program has been recognized for achieving significant success in a remarkably short period, with relatively high return rates in captive-reared juveniles, and is considered a model for future recovery programs for migratory passerines. Since the inception of the breeding program, over 500 young have been released and at least 22 of these have successfully migrated and returned to breeding grounds.
While the program has proven it’s effectiveness in contributing to the wild population in Ontario, this year marks the first time a bird released in Ontario has returned to breed in a different province. This event strengthens our belief that this novel program is an essential tool in recovery and can help re-establish extirpated shrike populations throughout their range.
Many Eastern Loggerhead Shrikes in Canada are banded, including all captive-release birds. The use of colour-bands allows birds to be individually identified, increasing the information gained by field staff during monitoring activities, as well as from sightings reported by the public, as seen with this recent report from Quebec. This year, birds released from the captive program will also have their breasts painted blue, green or purple with a non-toxic dye – a technique proven to increase detectibility with no increased risk to survival. If you see a shrike with a coloured breast and/or wearing bands, please report it to Wildlife Preservation Canada at jessica@wildlifepreservation.ca, (phone) 519-836-9314, (fax) 519-836-8840 or toll free 1-800-956-6608. We will need details about specific location (GPS coordinates are ideal, but not essential) and colour(s) (breast and/or bands) seen.
