---
title: "Loggerhead Shrike"
description: "Lanius ludovicianus — Birds. The loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) is a passerine bird in the family Laniidae."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/loggerhead-shrike
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Loggerhead Shrike

> Lanius ludovicianus — Birds. The loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) is a passerine bird in the family Laniidae.

- Scientific name: *Lanius ludovicianus*
- Category: `birds` (Birds)
- Habitats: unknown
- iNaturalist observations: 46231
- Wikidata: [Q430863](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q430863)
- iNaturalist taxon: [12024](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12024)

## Names

- en: Loggerhead Shrike
- de: Louisianawürger
- es: Verdugo Americano
- fr: Pie-grièche migratrice
- nl: Amerikaanse klapekster
- pt: Picanço-americano
- pl: Dzierzba siwa

## Countries with the most observations

US (35067), MX (8590), CA (926)

## Summary

The loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) is a passerine bird in the family Laniidae. It is the only member of the shrike family endemic to North America; the related northern shrike (L. borealis) occurs north of its range; however, it is also found in Siberia. It is nicknamed the butcherbird after its carnivorous tendencies, as it consumes prey such as insects, amphibians, lizards, small mammals and small birds, and some prey end up displayed and stored at a site, for example in a tree. Due to its small size and weak talons, this predatory bird relies on impaling its prey upon thorns or barbed wire for facilitated…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loggerhead_shrike

## Photo

![Loggerhead Shrike](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/loggerhead-shrike/medium.jpg)

Photo: Mark Connolly · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87379315

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/loggerhead-shrike?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).