Late this morning, Ed Hack and I while inside a vehicle watched a mature Northern Shrike chase a male Northern Cardinal from perch to perch in a series of moves among bushes and trees close to  a bird feeding station along rural Plains Road in Weathersfield, VT. The shrike was clearly following the cardinal but unsuccessful at catching him at least during the time we were watching. The shrike made no attempt to  purse nearby perched Blue Jays which appeared to be undisturbed by the shrike. 

Observations of these shrikes during the winter months in the Upper Valley have usually involved individuals on a perch or in flight but not in obvious pursuit of potential prey. Presumably, the shrike weighing about 65 grams could more readily capture and feed on  a 45 gram cardinal  than an 85 gram jay (weights from a Sibley field guide). However, the authoritative (online, restricted access) Birds of North America lists both cardinal and jay among prey reported to have been taken by  Northern Shrikes.

George Clark
Norwich, VT


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