Found 2 items, similar to Lanius excubitor.
English → English (WordNet)
Definition: Lanius excubitor
Lanius excubitor
n : common European butcherbird [syn:
European shrike]
English → English (gcide)
Definition: Lanius excubitor
Shrike
\Shrike\, n. [Akin to Icel. skr[=i]kja a shrieker, the
shrike, and E. shriek; cf. AS. scr[=i]c a thrush. See
Shriek, v. i.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of numerous species of oscinine birds of the family
Laniid[ae], 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.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The ant shrikes, or bush shrikes, are clamatorial birds
of the family
Formicarid[ae]. The cuckoo shrikes of
the East Indies and Australia are Oscines of the family
Campephagid[ae]. The drongo shrikes of the same
regions belong to the related family
Dicrurid[ae].
See
Drongo.
[1913 Webster]
Crow shrike. See under
Crow.
Shrike thrush.
(a) Any one of several species of Asiatic timaline birds of
the genera
Thamnocataphus,
Gampsorhynchus, and
allies.
(b) Any one of several species of shrikelike Australian
singing birds of the genus
Colluricincla.
Shrike tit.
(a) Any one of several Australian birds of the genus
Falcunculus, having a strong toothed bill and sharp
claws. They creep over the bark of trees, like titmice,
in search of insects.
(b) Any one of several species of small Asiatic birds
belonging to
Allotrius,
Pteruthius,
Cutia,
Leioptila, and allied genera, related to the true tits.
Called also
hill tit.
Swallow shrike. See under
Swallow.
[1913 Webster]
butcher bird
\butcher bird\, butcher-bird
\butcher-bird\,
butcherbird
\butcherbird\n.
1. (Zo["o]l.) any species of shrike of the genus
Lanius, so
called because they impale their prey on thorns.
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
2. (Zo["o]l.) large carnivorous Australian bird with the
shrikelike habit of impaling prey on thorns.
[WordNet 1.5]
Note: The
Lanius excubitor is the common butcher bird of
Europe. In England, the bearded tit is sometimes called
the
lesser butcher bird. The American species are
Lanius borealis, or
northern butcher bird, and
Lanius Ludovicianus or
loggerhead shrike. The name
butcher bird is derived from its habit of suspending
its prey impaled upon thorns, after killing it.
[1913 Webster]