any of numerous Old World birds having a strong hooked bill that feed on smaller animals
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.
The word comes from Old English sċrīc, which originally meant "shrike" or "thrush." It is derived from the same root as shriek and screech because the bird was named for its loud cry.