Northern Shrike new model

[birder]

Shrikes are the hawks of the songbirds (or passerines). Who could imagine a fierce bird of prey with the feet of a songbird? Since they lack the feet to hold their prey and eat, they hold it still by wedging the mouse or small bird they've caught in a tight branch fork or hooking on a barbed wire fence or impaled on a large thorn or sharp branch (early nickname was the "butcherbird"). Make no mistake though they are predators with the mindset of a bold hawk or small owl. The Northern shrike is one of the larger species, only 2 in North America, this and the Loggerhead Shrike. I once had a injured bird of this species brought in a box to me, there was nothing I could offer for its injury unfortunately and did not know who could, and kept it for awhile, what a brave soul that bird, wild in the strongest sense. Few birds have bit me like that one! (seagulls though are even worse don't ask why I know ha).
This model was my second attempt at a computer modelled bird and I've been working on it quite a long time. I think it looks ok now after tweaking for awhile.
Starting out the first part to make is the chest/abdomen

[birder]

Next is the rump or tail cone, and there is a mark on it for glue area and held on to dry as has to be well attached to move on. the back is added by gluing the serrated part to the matching area on the chest part I have found that when closing tabs on the chest/abd or back and other places too that it works nicely to add glue to the back of the joint to the part without glue tabs just is cleaner and easier for me.

[Vermin_King]

I truly enjoy watching you do these. Thanks

[birder]

Originally Posted by Vermin_King

I truly enjoy watching you do these. Thanks

Thank you, its fun

[birder]

There is a long tab on the top of the tail cone that is glued to underside of the back to stabilize this, but glue added from the front. The tail is pretty simple but cut it out with some room on the sides of the lower part to trim, and a couple of feathers added for the appearance of a real tail. the tail cone end is trimmed on the line and with alot of curve the tail slides in for gluing. The wings are similar to make, and overlap a bit when inserted, I made it intending for the longer primaries of the wing go under the tail and line them up then can glue to the back and held to set up there.

[Don Boose]

Great model, Glen!

I have never seen a shrike.

Don

[birder]

The head can be made now or earlier, but it is not too hard to glue together, the front part may look weird but goes together pretty easy, again I add the glue from the back unprinted part of the joints its easier.

[birder]

Thanks Don! I don't see them often they winter here (Northern) and the Loggerhead is a bit further south of us, not too far I used to see them in the summer when I was a high schooler

[birder]

The bill is glued on the tabs after scoring so can be completly not visable when folded, and the tabs glued I wait for this to dry well before gluing on. I have found that softening the edge of the inside of the bill with glue for a bit helps to get it to go where it lines up with the markings of the head. Applying glue to the inside of the head it goes on ok but would test fit where you like it for awhile first, the general idea is to have the stripe on the head lined up with the "horizon" they just usually perch that way.

[birder]

Next up I made a paper branch and base, for the legs but I'll have to take some more pictures first