laniidæ, flaniadæ

pl. [Lat. lan i (us); fem. pl. adj. suff. -idæ, -adœ.] Ornith.: A family of thrush-like perching birds. The bill, which is long, has a deep notch or prominent tooth near the tip of the upper mandible, which is hooked. Its base is furnished with bristles; the wings are of moderate size, the tail long and rounded, the claws long, curved, and acute. They somewhat approach the raptorial birds, but have not, like them, retractile claws. Swains on divided the Laniidse into five sub. families: Laniante (Tree-shrikes), Thamnophilin (Bush-shrikes), Dicrurine (Drongo-shrikes), Ceblepyrine (Caterpillar-catchers), and Tyran nine (Tyrant-shrikes). Others divide them into the first two of these sub-families.