Northern Shrike Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Song (American)
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New York, November 18, 2016Recorded by Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library
Song (American)
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Alaska, April 05, 2015Recorded by Lucas DeCicco / Macaulay Library
Calls (American)
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Alaska, June 07, 2006Recorded by Gerrit Vyn / Macaulay Library
Calls (American)
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Alaska, May 01, 1988Recorded by Brian McCaffery / Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

On the breeding grounds, both male and female sing softly, a long, complex, thrasher-like series of phrases. The phrases may be sweet (warbles, whistles, trills) or harsh (buzzes, gargles, screeches, chatters). Most birds include imitations of species that nest in the vicinity. Year round, both sexes also sing a louder, simpler, shorter song in which they sing each phrase twice, very like some thrashers.

Calls

Shrikes call very little on the wintering grounds unless warning or attacking an intruder in the territory: a harsh ack (directed at most birds), a whistled breezeek (directed at raptors or other shrikes), or a jaylike jaay (directed at mammals). Nesting shrikes are very vocal; they use nasal wake and woot calls during courtship feeding and when feeding young, as well as a variety of other calls in different contexts.