'Larders' of the Bull-headed Shrike,
Lanius bucephalus, were examined at Takaoka City, Toyama, during 25 March 1959 and 13 May 1960. The dominant plant of the flora, consisting of 31 species, was
Robinia pseudo-Acacia L. By weekly census, the species of larders were recorded with notes on floral and insectfaunal changes. The species and number of victims were dependent upon their periods of occurrence and abundance, as well as size. Larders were more frequent when grasses were short and more bare grounds were exposed, since the shrike is terrestrial feeder and larders increased with periodic increase of the shrike. Larders were found also in summer when
Melae (Eurymelae) corvinus was a marked victim, and shrike's own pellets or even its chick's droppings were found impaled. These facts may disprove the sygnificance of larders as food storage for winter. Larders on preferred perches were eaten more frequently and some learning seems to be involved in this, but this is not related to purposive food storage. The impaling is to be considered as one of the mere innate habits.
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