Bird Id Help Please (With Pix)

[Birdsong]

Like Finnbay, I thought I had a chance to get a good bluejay picture since this guy was just hanging out on a branch in my back yard. Once I stuck my head out the door, I realized I had never seen this bird here before. Not sure I've ever seen one. It looks a bit like the shrikes you guys have been posting but a little less sharp contrast to the markings. I tromped into my neighbors yard to get closer and a frontal picture, but scared him off. Thanks for the help. Sorry, X-T. I suppose you would prefer that I call you before I start tromping around. Oh--blue jay sized.

[finnbay]

Birdsong, I'm no avian expert, but it does have some characteristics of the shrikes I've seen such as the eye band and the shape of the beak. Maybe a juvie?

[jonny_redhorse]

I'm certainly no expert but I'm going to it a try here....I think maybe a grey, 1st winter northern shrike......maybe

[Steve Foss]

I'm going to say a 1st winter northern shrike, too, but I think there's enough brown on the head and upper back that it's a brown morph, not a gray one.

[JayinMN]

Yup, its a juvenile Northern Shrike. Looks like your backyard just got another songbird predator.....

[Birdsong]

Thanks, all of you. Do you think you could have gotten any more specific? Won't I sound snazzy telling someone I have a brown morph first winter northern shrike? Cool! Well--except for the predator part. Just what I needed.

[Steve Foss]

Hey Birdsong:

I believe that shrike is 247 days old. That makes it a 247-day old juvie brown morph northern shrike. Specific enough for ya?