shrike Hear it!

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

  • woodchat: Only real find in the hotel gardens along the front was a woodchat shrike.
  • gray: A third Great gray shrike asked for closer examination.
  • cuckoo: As we were waiting an Ashy cuckoo shrike posed on a tree near to which a Bamboo lemur was spotted by our eagle-eyed guide.

Browse dictionary entries near shrike

  1. shrift
  2. shrieve
  3. shrievalty
  4. shrieking
  5. shriek
  6. Shrewsbury
  7. shrewmouse
  8. shrewish
  9. shrewdness
  10. shrewdly
  1. shrill
  2. shrimp
  3. shrimp plant
  4. shrine
  5. shrink
  6. shrink-wrap
  7. shrinkage
  8. shrinking violet
  9. shrive
  10. shrivel