The loggerhead shrike is a neat little bird. It’s a small bird that is a predator of insects and reptiles. The reptiles can sometimes be larger than the Shrike. On my morning walk today, I ran across a pair who seemed to be engaged in some courtship ritual. They were flitting as a pair among a lot of perches in someones yard.

When I approached them, the female zipped off into a pretty dense bush. The kind of thing they look for as a nesting place. The male positioned himself between me and the female and began adopting threatening postures like holding his wings out to make him look bigger.

I stepped a little closer to the bush where the female had fled and he quickly interposed himself and began making angry noises.

These are tough aggressive birds in their own right and he certainly wouldn’t have been afraid to attack me in defense even though I am at least 5’10” taller than he is. I’m going to keep an eye on the nesting bush. Getting any pictures will be difficult though.