shrike
shrike
Definition
shrike (s̸hrīk)
noun
any of a family (Laniidae) of predatory, shrill-voiced passerine birds with hooked beaks, gray, black, and white plumage, and long tails: most types feed on insects, some on small birds, frogs, etc., which they may impale on thorns before eating
Etymology: via dial. < OE scric, thrush, shrike, akin to ME schriken, shriek
shrike
Usage Examples
Converse of object
- mask: We got as far as a patch of snow and were pleased to see a pair of masked shrikes.
- see: Brown Shrike ( 3 ), Singles at KS, TK & PI ( very few shrikes seen overall ) 208.
- include: The large baobabs that line the road to Camalou were good for Palearctic migrants, including woodchat shrike, tree pipit and subalpine warbler.
Adjective modifier
- red-backed: The other was the second sighting of a red-backed shrike at Lower Barden reservoir on 15th June.
- gray: Local kestrel, southern gray shrike and turtle dove all seen near the goat farm by the road.
- great: A third Great gray shrike asked for closer examination.
- red: Also seen were many hoopoes, middle spot woodpecker and red back shrikes.
- long-tailed: A single Long-tailed Shrike perched in the top of a bush was also a welcome find being a scarce winter visitor to Sri Lanka.
- southern: Local kestrel, southern gray shrike and turtle dove all seen near the goat farm by the road.
Noun used with modifier
Browse dictionary entries near shrike
- shrift
- shrieve
- shrievalty
- shrieking
- shriek
- Shrewsbury
- shrewmouse
- shrewish
- shrewdness
- shrewdly
- shrill
- shrimp
- shrimp plant
- shrine
- shrink
- shrink-wrap
- shrinkage
- shrinking violet
- shrive
- shrivel
