Loggerhead shrikes are songbirds that think they're raptors. Their carnivorous tastes don't just run to insects and spiders. They also eat lizards, other birds, and small mammals. They apparently grab prey and slam it against cactus thorns until they die. Lovely.
He's sure got pretty markings, though.
I see loggerhead shrikes mostly on high perches like this saguaro, where they keep watch for their next meal.
Spotted in April, Estrella Mountain Regional Park.
Note how close the ribs of the saguaro are, like an accordion pushed all the way together. It's a scary visual reminder of how dry it is. A saguaro full of water expands and the ribs get farther apart.
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