Northern Shrikes are fascinating predatory songbirds found in Oregon, primarily as winter visitors. While both sexes share many characteristics, there are subtle differences in their appearance.

General Characteristics (Both Sexes):
Size and Shape: They are medium-sized, stout-bodied songbirds, roughly the size of an American Robin, with a relatively large, rounded head and a thick, hooked bill. They have short wings and a long, rounded tail.
Coloration: Adults are generally gray on their upperparts and whitish on their underparts, often with faint, fine gray barring on the belly. Their wings are black with distinctive white flashes (especially noticeable in flight), and their tail is black with white corners. They possess a striking black mask that extends across the eye, but typically does not cover the top of the bill.
Bill: Their most distinctive feature is their strong, hooked, and toothed jet-black bill, which they use to kill prey. This "tomial tooth" helps them deliver a quick, fatal bite to the neck of their victims.
Behavior: Northern Shrikes are known as "butcher birds" due to their unique habit of impaling prey on thorns, barbed wire, or wedging it into tree crevices for storage, as their feet are not strong enough to hold and tear flesh like true raptors. They are stealthy hunters, often perching conspicuously on wires, fence posts, or treetops to survey for prey, then swooping down to capture it.
Diet: Their diet consists of large insects, small mammals (like voles and mice), and small birds. They can even take down prey as large as themselves.
Vocalizations: Both sexes sing, with males being particularly vocal in late winter and early spring. Their songs are complex, often including warbles, whistles, gargles, screeches, and sometimes imitations of other bird species.

Male Northern Shrikes:
Plumage: Generally, adult males tend to have crisper gray, black, and white plumage compared to females. Their underparts may be a purer white with less noticeable barring. The black mask is often more distinct.
Bill Color: The bill of an adult male is typically jet black.
Courtship: Males are known for their elaborate courtship rituals, which include singing, aerial displays, and prominently impaling prey as a display of hunting prowess to attract a mate. They will also bring food to their mate during the breeding season.

Female Northern Shrikes:
Plumage: While generally similar to males, females may exhibit slightly duller plumage, often with more subtle brownish tones on their breasts and throat compared to their male counterparts. The black mask may be slightly less distinct.
Incubation: The female primarily incubates the 4-7 eggs (sometimes up to 9) for about 15-17 days, during which time the male feeds her.
Nest Building: Females typically do most of the actual nest construction, building an open-cup nest in a low tree or large shrub.

Juvenile Northern Shrikes:
Young birds are more brownish overall than adults, with fine brownish bars on their undersides. Their black mask is much narrower and less defined, and their bill is often horn-colored (paler than adults). They gradually develop adult plumage as they mature through the winter.

In Oregon, Northern Shrikes are primarily seen during the non-breeding season (winter). They are considered uncommon to locally common visitors in open habitats statewide, though they may be absent some years along the southern coast.