The bird on the left appears to have an obvious hook to its beak, that is absent from the bird on the right. Sibley says of the Northern Shrike: "large bill with obvious hook" Sibley says of the Loggerhead Shrike: "stubby bill without obvious hook at tip" Given the similarity in plumage, I took the contrast in the bill to be diagnostic. The difference, however, appears to be not the presence vs. absence but in the degree of the hook. Because of this, I have not counted the Northern Shrike as an additional species for this area. Back.