2 definitions found From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: butcher bird \butcher bird\, butcher-bird \butcher-bird\, butcherbird \butcherbird\n. 1. (Zool.) any species of shrike of the genus {Lanius}, so called because they impale their prey on thorns. [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5] 2. (Zool.) 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] From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]: butcherbird n 1: shrikes that impale their prey on thorns 2: large carnivorous Australian bird with the shrike-like habit of impaling prey on thorns
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