Definition

Noun 1. A type of antbird: A bird of the family Thamnophilidae, found in Central and South America, that superficially resembles a shrike in appearance or behavior, such as having a hooked bill.

Usage

• The ant shrike is often observed perched motionless, watching for insect prey.
• Birdwatchers were excited to spot a Great Antshrike in the undergrowth.
• Unlike true shrikes, the ant shrike does not impale its prey on thorns.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in a compound form (e.g., Great Antshrike, Barred Antshrike) as a common name for specific species within the antbird family that exhibit shrike-like features.

Variants and Related Words

• Antshrike: The most common closed-form spelling for the common names of specific species (e.g., the Great Antshrike, ).
• Antbird: The broader family (Thamnophilidae) to which all ant shrikes belong.

Synonyms

• Antbird (specific to shrike-like species within the family)
• Thamnophilid (scientific term for a member of the family Thamnophilidae)

Different Meanings

• This term has a single, specific zoological meaning. It does not refer to a hybrid between an ant and a shrike, but to a bird that bears a superficial resemblance to a shrike.

Noun

1. antbirds superficially resembling shrikes