# French Mockingbird



## rip18 (Nov 12, 2012)

A couple of shots of a French mockingbird (aka butcher bird) (aka loggerhead shrike).  This bird is one BAAAAAD little predator.  I've watched shrikes & found shrike larders for years.  When they have too much "meat" to eat right then, they poke their prey on a stick, spine, briar, barbed wire prong, etc. to save it for later.

I've found frogs, lizards, small snakes, beetles, bees, and even a sparrow in their larders before.  I've watched them hunt bugs before.  But I had never watched them hunt birds before.

This individual actively pursued bluebirds and yellow-rumped warblers for about 15 minutes.  I eventually lost sight of him.  Then he came zipping back by me with a LBB (Little Brown Bird) in his talons.  He went into a shrub clump, and I went after him, but I couldn't spot him anywhere.

Then, as I was about to pack stuff back in the truck, I spotted him within 30 feet of the truck eating a Carolina wren!  I "almost" got a really cool shot of him with the wren, but then he decided to turn the wren & try to get away from me when he saw me pointing that big eye at him...  

Oh well, I still got some cool shrike shots...

Shrike in sweetbay -
Nikon D300s, Nikkor 400 mm w/2x teleconverter, f/8, 1/200th second, ISO 320, fill flash, tripod, slight crop.

Shrike in cypress -
Nikon D300s, Nikkor 400 mm w/2x teleconverter, f/8, 1/1000th second, ISO 320, fill flash, tripod, slight crop.

Shrike in cypress with Carolina wren parts -

Nikon D300s, Nikkor 400 mm w/2x teleconverter, f/8, 1/800th second, ISO 320, fill flash, tripod, slight crop.


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## Hoss (Nov 12, 2012)

Cool shots, Rip.  They look a whole lot meaner than a mockingbird.

Hoss


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## Sugar HillDawg (Nov 12, 2012)

I betcha that bird is even meaner when you call it "French"!


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## cre8foru (Nov 12, 2012)

Wow... Very nice shots and great info. I didn't know they preyed on other birds.


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## Meriwether_Stalker22 (Nov 12, 2012)

dang, I was just going to say they had a little hooked bill.........carnivorous mocking bird.....

I'll be dawg....great shot as usual


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## dawg2 (Nov 12, 2012)

Cool shots of a cool bird.


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## Holton (Nov 13, 2012)

Learned from lesson this morning. Thanks


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## BriarPatch99 (Nov 14, 2012)

My folks always called them "cat birds" ... not sure why ... unless they kill more birds than a cat does... I've found many critters "nailed" to trees and barbed wire...

So now I know their real name...


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## Danny Leigh (Nov 14, 2012)

BriarPatch99 said:


> My folks always called them "cat birds" ... not sure why ... unless they kill more birds than a cat does... I've found many critters "nailed" to trees and barbed wire...
> 
> So now I know their real name...



Catbirds are a totally different bird that are usually all grey and they eat mainly berries. Their call sounds similar to a cat meowing.

Great pictures rip!


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## Woodsong (Nov 14, 2012)

VERY cool pictures.  Thank goodness those birds are smaller than us- does not look like it would be a fun way to go.  
Awesome photos though and really, really great shots!


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## wvdawg (Nov 14, 2012)

Wow!  Neat!


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## BriarPatch99 (Nov 14, 2012)

Like I said ... they nor did I know the correct name for the birds in Rip's photo.... I do know that they would take "other" birds babies out of the nest and stick them on wild plum bush thorns...


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## pdsniper (Nov 15, 2012)

Wow I just learned a lesson as well did not know they did thay as well


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## rip18 (Nov 15, 2012)

Thanks, y'all!  It was fun to photograph.  I hope I get a similar chance again!


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