The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-25
FIERCE CALIFORNIA BIRDS.
THE sATA6B sBRIkE AND ITS LovE
or KILLING.

ing Snakes Great Cocopah Nulturcs
POMONA. Cal. June 10 Tho party Of or
nlthologists Who are coming ths season from
the Smithsonian Institution to study tho bird
on the deserts Of south ern Arizona and Il
the Bierras In California will have m oppor
tunity to learn many curious facts about some
OF tho nercest and most brutal birds in Tia,
Union. The enormous vultures on tho des.
erts. the shrlkes In the mountain region all
over Callfornia. the pugnacious Jaws and the
great sea or bnld eagles OF the Pacific Gons'
will well repay patient observation. The
farmers and fruit. growers In the valleys. the
trappers an Hunters in the mountains. and
the minors and Transfers on the deserts have
long been interested observers NJ these birds
and they have remarkable amount OF lore
about these spAcies Of tho hir world. All
manner OF local names have p-eu given to
these birds. and unless the ornltnoogst IL a
close observer he will not recognize we'll
known birds BIZ the local names. Thus. the
common turkey vulture is known on tho Arr
Eona deserts and among the foothills as tho
sand condor and the blue Jay IL the California
bullnnoh In some localities and tho chaparral
hawk In others.
Butcher birds or shrikes are among the
most remarkable Of birds In California
they are moro rapaclOus than els where In
che United States. The mountaineers know
the birds as meat hawks.
Talk about nerve In birds" said n veteran
up In the mountains to the writer. why them
air little meat hawks is the dumbdest. ner-
West and peskiest cusses ever did see I've
boon skinnin' deer or bear many time when
lot OF the little hawks would smell mo at the
Job. and come hyin over the range to camp.
whore half OF EN- would sit and peck meat
from ono end OF the carcass while was work.
ing at t'other end. Scare ON Off? 1t can't
te done. I've knocked EN- down and broke
their legs. but they come right back with their
crippled Icy 30 nergy-lik and sassy 70 eatin'
my meat that haint got heart to hit 'em
agin. VIII they kill for n lvng2 I've seen
'em drop down like a rock OF the back of birds
twice their size. and cut the head OFF their
prey before you could say jack Robinson.
Pshhw. eagles haInt got half tho fight in 'em
what meat hawks have got"
There are three varieties of shrkes in CAL
fornia. the yellow. the great and the red
backed shrike. They are known generally as
butcher birds, The habits Of the shrikes are
much like those OF falcons. but their form. col
orinR and habitat are different. Shrikes vary
from seven to ten inches In length. and their
pluma2e is generally OF a pale. ash color. re-
lievsd by q more striking color at the neck
and tips OF the wings. The bills Of all shrkes
ore essentially the same. and one who ex-
amines them closely sees why these birds are
the Ishmaels Of the song bird world. and how
appropriate Is their name OF butchers. The
ehrike's bill 10 black. and .as.thin and sharp as
a.razor blade and IL tough and strong, too 1t
10 about an inch long and IL moved by little
masses OF thick. tough muscles. making the
bill formidable weapon. 1t broadens at the
base and becomes part OF the skull For
that reason the bird may deal a powerful blow
I'LL tfa hi vtt
There Is pugnaclty' and Savagery in the birds
very aspect IL has 4 short. fat neck. matted
with thick strong muscles. which can sup
bort unusual weight. 1t is as active as 1t Is
fapacious.
The peculiar flight Of the butcher bird Is one
OF the characteristics the amateur naturalist
hrst observes. No other bird so comraoty
and sturdily built as the shrike. and especially
no other bird OF prey. has so graceful and airy
flight Mountaneers say that this peculiar
y uLdulating and light flight 10 hit OF arti.
noe on the part VI tho butcher bird to deceive
its prey. When flying leisurely along the bird
has wing motion simiar to that OF I, lark.
Then whom 1t sees its victim sudden change
takes place. With folded wings the bird
shoots forward and downward as straight as
An arrow toward its prey. Very seldom does
Il miss its aim. Generally the shrike sits !
Dercbed whore its little eyes may sweep the ad-
jaoent country over. and waits for its prey
among the foliage OF a tee. in n cOpse or on |
. rock. where the color D, u feathers make It |
ssem part Of the landscape Then when
Its prey comes soaring within proper distance.
the shnke starts forth with wonderful We |
locity as straight as a bullet 1t hurts its full
strength unon its victim. striking with its |
po Pow oil; Then i Is that the powerful
bird having crushed the life out OF its victim. !
holds It In It's bill and flies to adjacent ire.
Or, shrub. There it performs a remarkable |
feat. something unknown among other birds. |
IL hunts thorn OF, a sharp projecting twig. |
e butcher haggs chunk OF meat upon the |
hooks In his slaughter house
Il have watched butcher birds for hours"
said Ponons Valley ranchnan. aud have |
never wearied Of observing their fpXlness and |
their rs99aSi,y Thsres q" birds iiks ,hem
my oINnce grove. and the inneis were fol.
lowing ny cu)tivator. picking VI grubs and |
denly down at the end Of row of trees. saw |
two butcher birds dart from out the foliage Of |
10 hook 81 naets Fhc G. Was s"' HHh
commotlon among The llrnets AS thcY flew |
sGn.h.a b ag11 hGth sG'cneT pds had
ling rose In the air with HE carcasses. Tho |
butcher birds cLrGIe1 about the trees for a !,
movement OF their savage bills. jabbed the
S Ssinats upon thorns on the trees few |
reached tho spot there hung the warm bodies i'S
OF the linnets, white tho butchers had dlsa,- |
peared. Hair an hour later | h ri more com |
motioa among tho remaining pnets that
] saw The same butcher birds flying away with |
Two more linnets dangling from their bills.
The butchers carried the carcasses that time |
about 200 feet to the same tree whore they |
had impaled the former liunets. and they |
labbed their fresh victims Oh other thorns. |
Well. the butchers kent that performance ur |
Tor several hours. Az soon they had done |
their murderous work they would 1y into an |
orange tree and take a survey Of the orange |
xrove so as tQ.ocate tina remainder OF the flock |
Of linnets. They would ~ low. and perch in |
hiding 10 another tree close to their Victims |
ana at the opportuue moment they would |
swoop down and seize tho t1tterin: innet4, |
crush their life ont and carry them INEav fol |
convenient I'M pncmeut."
. In walking about the orange and especially |
tho .horny lemon grOves Of California ono Of |
en- nnds tina carcagseS Of Wrens. W cana
riSs, toads. graashoppers. mice and a. II goph- |
OrS jabbed on thorns Oft trees l'te shriEcS |
are very daring sometimes. for thev ccca- |
Pionally u such birds AZ mcatow lnrks rob !
ine and zen wild pigeons, All manner. Of |
theoriea obtain "a to III" reason for T. vrnc-
tlco OF ippalinR numbers 'of victims. Some |
FARMERS belle that the birds have an IN
0tnct that they must hang nine carc;.- ga on !
tree Hence the shtlkn Ia known in some |
localities as tho Nine Killer. Qther u.u0tour |
nj ha1taNa tIot Mi, u