Birds of the Lower Ohio River Valley in West Virginia

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SHRIKES

Loggerhead Shrike  Lanius ludovicianus

WINTER:  No records since 1980.  Recent records, one on the 1980 Ona CBC and one on 17 and 18 December 1977 in Cabell Co., WV (HS, RS).  See Remarks section.

SUMMER:  Haller (1940) listed this species as a permanent resident in our area prior to the 1940's.  There are no summer records after the 1940's (Edeburn et al. 1960, Kiff et al. 1986).

MIGRATION:

 Spring:  Casual since the 1950's.  Latest records, one on 24 March 2002 at Green Bottom WMA (WA, GR).  One (banded, HS) on 13 and 14 April 1996 at Beech Fork Lake (WA, MG, HS).  See Remarks section.

 Fall:  No records since the 1970's.  Most recent record, one on 25 November 1977 (present until 18 December 1977, see Winter section) in Cabell Co., WV (HS).

REMARKS:

Specimens:  All specimens from our area (Museum of Zoology, Univ. of Michigan) are assignable to the subspecies Lanius ludovicianus migrans.  A specimen, collected by Haller, in Mason Co., WV, was said to closely approach the measurements of  Lanius ludovicianus ludovicianus by Brooks (1944).  However, wing chord (100.9 mm.) and tail (93.4 mm.) measurements of this specimen (UMMZ # 162950, collected 19 September 1939, by Haller, 3 miles south of Gallipolis Ferry, Mason Co., WV) indicate this specimen is Lanius l. migrans (George A. Hall, personal correspondence).  See Banding Data.

Banding Data:  One banded (HS) on 14 April 1996 at Beech Fork Lake.  Age: SY-U.  Measurements: Wing Chord: 93 mm.; Tail Length: 95 mm;  Culmen Length: 15.9 mm;  Length from distal margin of nostril to tip of culmen: 12.5 mm.  Wing and tail measurements indicate this individual is assignable to Lanius l. ludovicianus (Miller, 1928, 1931 and Slack 1994).

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT DATA

Huntington, WV (1940 to 2001):        Recorded on 11% of Counts.  Total Birds:  9.  Range:  1 to 3.
Mason County, WV (1953 to 1976):  NO RECORDS.
Ona, WV (1962 to 2001):                  Recorded on 18% of Counts.  Total Birds:  8.  Range:  1 to 2.

Huntington, WV (1940 to 2001):        Total Counts:  61.  Birds/Party Hr.:  <1.0.  Party Hr/Bird:  335.5.
Mason County, WV (1953 to 1976):  NO RECORDS.
Ona, WV (1962 to 2001):                  Total Counts:  40.  Birds/Party Hr.:  <1.0.  Party Hr./Bird:  226.8.