Global Range: (<100-250 square km (less than about 40-100 square miles)) Range includes only San Clemente Island, California.

endemic to a single state or province

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Historic Range:
U.S.A. (CA)

Length: 22 cm

Differs from mainland subspecies by smaller body size, smaller feet, shorter wings and tail, darker dorsal gray plumage, and larger bill (Matthews and Moseley 1990).

Comments: Open country with scattered trees and shrubs. Nests in tall shrub (at least 7 feet high) or small tree in open area in forest or in open country. Prefers sites that provide a significant canopy (Ehrlich et al. 1992).

Non-Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species do not make significant seasonal migrations. Juvenile dispersal is not considered a migration.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Comments: Feeds primarily on large insects, small birds, lizards, and mice. Captures prey after short sally from perch or aerial chase. May impale prey on plant spine or barbed wire.

50 - 250 individuals

Comments: Adult population (breeders and floaters) was little less than 100 in 2009.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: 1 - 5

Comments: One occurrence.

Territorial throughout year.

Clutch size is about 4-5, sometimes larger. Incubation lasts around 2 weeks. Young are tended by both adults, fledge in about 3 weeks, independent in about 5 weeks.

Rounded Global Status Rank: T1 - Critically Imperiled

Reasons: Limited to one island owned by the Navy in southern California; habitat was degraded by introduced goats (now eliminated); predation by feral cats and introduced black rats remains a problem; population increased in recent years in conjunction with the release of captive-bred shrikes..

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N1 - Critically Imperiled

Current Listing Status Summary

Status: Endangered
Date Listed: 09/12/1977
Lead Region:   California/Nevada Region (Region 8) 
Where Listed:


Population detail:

Population location: entire
Listing status: E

For most current information and documents related to the conservation status and management of Lanius ludovicianus mearnsi , see its USFWS Species Profile

Global Short Term Trend: Increase of 10 to >25%

Comments: Number of individuals increased from 14 in 1998 to approximately 46 pairs of adults (floaters and breeders) and 100 juveniles in the wild today (USFWS 2009). However, the increase has been associated with the release of captive-bred individuals.

Comments: Decline has been due primarily to habitat alteration caused by grazing and browsing by feral goats, which reduced nesting and roosting habitat and exposed shrikes to increased predation (mainly by feral cats).

Non-native grazers have been completely removed from the island, which has allowed native shrubs and trees to begin the process of vegetation recovery that is expected to support nesting by shrikes and increase the invertebrate and vertebrate prey base. Non-native predators (cats and black rats) are now considered the highest cause of mortality to shrikes on San Clemente Island, despite current efforts to remove the predator pressure (USFWS 2009).

Restoration Potential: Now that goats have been removed, potential for restoration is much improved.

Management Requirements: According to USFWS, recovery will require revegetation with maritime sage scrub to provide suitable nesting habitat; woodland nesting habitat could be expanded, especially at the upper ends of large canyons where open foraging habitats are near (Matthews and Moseley 1990). Goats, which caused severe habitat degradation, were eliminated from the island by 1992, and habitat began to recover. In the mid-1990s, Navy agreed to control rats and feral cats, develop a plan to control fires (in conjunction with U.S. Forest Service), and to restrict bombardment of shore areas in shrike habitat. Predator control activities have involved euthanasia and confinement of island foxes (Urocyon littoralis); see Roemer and Wayne (2003) for information about possible management conflicts involving island foxes and loggerhead shrikes on San Clemente Island. See recovery plan (1984) for California Channel Islands endangered and threatened species. See Scott and Morrison (1990) for comprehensive management recommendations.

A captive breeding facility, operated by the San Diego Zoo, has been established on the island; it housed 5 pairs as of 1996. Captive-raised birds are to be released on the island to offset losses of young to predation. See Cade (1992) for information on successful captive breeding of loggerhead shrike.