An Initial Description of the Fecal Microbiome of Wintering Northern Shrikes <i>Lanius borealis</i>

This study aimed to broaden our understanding of the natural history of Northern Shrikes by analyzing the gut microbiome of wintering individuals in northern Minnesota using fecal samples from 19 individuals.Bacterial DNA was extracted and sequenced using Illumina metabarcoding subsequently processing these reads via QIIME2.The microbiome was dominated by the phyla Proteobacteria (88.8%) and Firmicutes (9.9%), two phyla often found in high proportions in avian gut samples.However, the preponderance of Proteobacteria is noteworthy but may be explained by the sample from one individual, an adult male.Notable genera included Rickettsiella, Clostridioides, and Lactobacillus.We found no statistically significant differences in microbiome evenness and diversity between sexes or age groups.This study provides one of the first insights into the microbiome of Northern Shrikes, contributing valuable data on this understudied species.Further research is recommended to investigate microbiome variations across Laniidae geographically, with respect to diet, and among different habitats.