Loggerhead Shrike

Lanius ludovicianus migrans

In Canada, the eastern population of the loggerhead shrike breeds in western and southern Ontario, southern Quebec, New Brunswick, and, rarely, in Nova Scotia. Pesticides are an important factor in the decline of loggerhead shrikes. The bird is a predator at the top of the food chain, which means that it accumulates chemicals in its tissues. Pesticides may be responsible for slowing the development of young shrikes, for reducing egg shell thickness, and for reducing the size of clutches and broods.