Saskatchewan's threatened loggerhead shrike faces habitat loss

Loggerhead shrikes, a threatened bird species known as the “butcher bird,” are drawing attention in Saskatchewan as their habitat continues to shrink. The songbirds hunt insects, mice and frogs, and are famous for impaling prey on thorns or barbed wire before eating it. The article highlights sightings in Saskatoon, where birder Kerry Hjertaas watched shrikes feeding near his workplace. Experts with Nature Saskatchewan say the province is the main Prairie breeding area for the species and estimate about 40,000 remain in Saskatchewan. Conservation advocates say the birds are under pressure from the loss of native prairie and the removal of shelterbelts, which shrikes also use for nesting and hunting. Nature Saskatchewan is tracking sightings and encouraging people to help by planting thorny shrubs that can support the birds.