Effect of Vegetation Height on Hunting Behavior and Diet of Loggerhead Shrikes

Prey distribution, environmental conditions, and competition should affect animals' choice of patches, hunting method, and prey types. Loggerhead Shrikes are sit-and-wait predators and rarely hunt in flight. We observed the effect of sub-optimal substrate on their hunting capabilities. Hunting attempts and hunting success were not significantly different before and after the substrate in six territories was mown, although significant differences occurred in the number of prey caught by aerial chases and hovering and in the number collected from perches. In two territories that were not mown, no significant differences occurred. None of the shrikes adjusted the boundaries of their territories; all were apparently able to overcome the effects of high vegetation by altering their hunting behavior.