Kansas City - There's no need for worry if you see certain small critters impaled on fences in the state, it's just all part of nature.
The Missouri Department of Conservation says it was recently contacted by a resident of Ray County, about an hour northeast of Kansas City, who found snakes, mice and more…unusually impaled on barbed wire.
MDC Lieutenant Jason Braunecker was able to explain that this was a habit of a unique bird called the loggerhead shrike.
Loggerhead shrikes commonly impale their prey on thorns, branches, or barbed wire to easily eat and store for later consumption, earning the nicknames "butcherbird" and "thorn bird".
MDC/Lieutenant Jason Braunecker
These cute little killers live in a very specific habitat which includes grasslands, prairies, and agricultural fields with scattered shrubs or trees which can be found in special areas throughout Missouri.
MDC/Lieutenant Jason Braunecker
