1. plural of shrike; predatory songbirds with hooked beaks that often impale their prey on thorns or barbed wire

Examples

• The shrikes in our area are known for their distinctive hunting behavior.
• We spotted several shrikes perched on the fence posts along the field.
• Shrikes are fascinating birds that store their food by impaling it on sharp objects.
• The loggerhead shrikes have been declining in numbers due to habitat loss.
• Ornithologists study how shrikes use thorns as natural storage for their prey.
• Northern shrikes migrate south during the winter months.