shrike

Meaning

Noun

• Any of various passerine birds of the family Laniidae which are known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns.

Related

Similar words

• butcherbird

Origin

• From Middle English *schrike, *schryke, from Old English sċrīc, from the same root as shriek and screech, named after the bird's cry. Compare Icelandic skríkja, Swedish skrika.