Any one of numerous species of oscinine birds of the family Laniidæ, having a strong hooked bill, toothed at the tip. Most shrikes are insectivorous, but the common European gray shrike (Lanius excubitor), the great northern shrike (L. borealis), and several others, kill mice, small birds, etc., and often impale them on thorns, and are, on that account called also butcher birds. See under Butcher.

(Family: Laniidae) Medium-sized predatory songbirds with hooked bills similar to birds of prey. They live in open areas and on the edges of forests. Many shrikes impale their prey on thorns. They are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.

any of numerous Old World birds having a strong hooked bill that feed on smaller animals

a passerine bird of the family laniidae which is known for its habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions

a predatory songbird, also called a butcher bird, because it impales its prey on a thorn or sharp twig before tearing it apart with its strong beak

A shrike is a passerine bird of the family Laniidae which is known for its habit of catching insects, small birds or mammals and impaling their bodies on thorns. This helps them to tear the flesh into smaller, more conveniently-sized fragments, and serves as a "larder" so that the shrike can return to the uneaten portions at a later time. A typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey, reflecting its predatory nature.