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Glite Dictionary
ant shrike

ant shrike

9.9
A tropical American bird that looks like a shrike and eats insects
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : hormiguero
  • Some ant shrikes are known for following ants to find food.

Examples

  • The dense Amazon forests are home to many species of ant shrike.

  • We spotted an ant shrike perched quietly among the branches.

  • The ant shrike is known for its distinctive call.

  • Did you see the ant shrike in the garden?

  • We spotted an ant shrike perched quietly among the branches.

  • The dense Amazon forests are home to many species of ant shrike.

  • Some ant shrikes are known for following ants to find food.

Synonyms

Thamnophilus
vsant shrike
  • Specialized
9.9

A small bird that lives in Central and South American forests, often called an antshrike

is a broader term for tropical American birds in the same family

Surface Forms

ant shrike singular
ant shrikes plural

Morphology

ant + shrike

The phrase combines two familiar nouns so a learner can infer it denotes a type of bird related to or resembling a shrike and possibly associated with ants, giving a general sense from the constituents. However, the precise taxonomic meaning (a member of the antbird family and the nuance that it only superficially resembles shrikes) is not fully predictable from 'ant' + 'shrike', so full understanding likely requires prior exposure or explanation.

Etymology

Ant shrike gets its name from the two words ant and shrike: the birds often 'follow ants' to catch insects, and they 'look like' small hooked-billed birds called shrikes. So the name reminds you that it is a bird that follows ants and resembles a shrike.