sand grouse
Definition
Noun: * A pigeon-like bird belonging to the family Pteroclididae, native to arid regions of the Old World (Africa, Asia, and Europe). They are characterized by long, pointed wings and tails, and their young are precocial, meaning they are covered in down and relatively mature and mobile shortly after hatching.
Usage
The term "sand grouse" refers specifically to the bird species within this family. It is typically used in ornithological, zoological, and general descriptive contexts about wildlife in dry habitats. * The sand grouse is remarkably adapted to life in the desert. * We observed a flock of sand grouse flying to a waterhole at dawn.
Advanced Usage
- "To behave like a sand grouse": While not a common idiom, in specialized contexts, it could metaphorically describe behavior centered around long-distance travel to a vital, scarce resource, due to the bird's famous behavior of flying great distances to drink water.
Variants and Related Words
- Sandgrouse: An alternative, often-used spelling as a single word.
- Pteroclididae: The scientific family name for sand grouse.
- Painted sand grouse (): An example of a specific species within the family.
- Pin-tailed sand grouse (): Another example of a specific species.
Synonyms
- There are no direct common synonyms. Descriptive phrases like "arid-land pigeon-like bird" or the scientific family name "Pteroclididae" are the closest alternatives.
Related Phrases
- Sand grouse's water-carrying capacity: Refers to the unique adaptation where males soak their belly feathers to carry water back to their chicks.
- The sand grouse's water-carrying capacity is a fascinating example of natural adaptation.
Related Idioms
- There are no widely recognized idioms in general English that feature "sand grouse."
Noun
-
pigeon-like bird of arid regions of the Old World having long pointed wings and tail and precocial downy young
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