Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) is in the Shrikes family (Laniidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 4,285 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Northern Shrike: observations by month (U.S.)
About Northern Shrike
The northern shrike (Lanius borealis) is a large songbird species in the shrike family (Laniidae) native to North America and Siberia. Long considered a subspecies of the great grey shrike, it was classified as a distinct species in 2017. Six subspecies are recognised.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Northern Shrike by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 593 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Washington | 397 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Colorado | 327 | November | Nov–Mar |
| Oregon | 298 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Michigan | 270 | December | Nov–Mar |
| Illinois | 214 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Alaska | 212 | August | Apr–Dec |
| Ohio | 201 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Vermont | 175 | March | Dec–Mar |
| Wisconsin | 156 | March | Nov–Mar |
| New York | 155 | November | Nov–Mar |
| Texas | 155 | November | Nov–Jan |
| Montana | 150 | October | Oct–Apr |
| Idaho | 105 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Utah | 87 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Pennsylvania | 84 | December | Nov–Jan |
| California | 83 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Massachusetts | 80 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Nebraska | 61 | December | Nov–Jan |
| South Dakota | 46 | November | Oct–Apr |
| North Dakota | 41 | March | Oct–Apr |
| Maine | 39 | January | Nov–Apr |
| Maryland | 37 | December | Nov–Dec |
| Missouri | 36 | December | Nov–Jan |
| New Jersey | 35 | December | Oct–Feb |
| New Mexico | 33 | December | Oct–Feb |
| Wyoming | 32 | March | Nov–Mar |
| Iowa | 31 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Kansas | 28 | November | Nov–Feb |
| Virginia | 24 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Indiana | 23 | November | Nov–Feb |
| New Hampshire | 16 | February | Nov–Mar |
| Oklahoma | 16 | November | Nov–Jan |
| Arizona | 11 | December | Dec–Jan |
| Connecticut | 9 | December | Dec–Jan |
| Nevada | 8 | December | Nov–Feb |
| West Virginia | 8 | December | Dec–Dec |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Shrikes)
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Northern Shrike?
Nationally, January has the most observations, with the main season from October to March.
Where is Northern Shrike most often seen?
The most observations come from Minnesota, Washington, Colorado.