Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of large, often brightly colored, Old World duck: A sheldrake is a gooselike duck, typically larger than a common mallard, known for its striking, often variegated black-and-white plumage and frequently a brightly colored (e.g., red) bill.
   • A specific type of fish-eating diving duck: In some contexts, particularly in North America, "sheldrake" can refer to a large, crested, fish-eating diving duck (often a merganser) characterized by a slender, serrated, hook-tipped bill.

Examples

• Noun:
  • We spotted a pair of sheldrakes with their distinctive red bills on the estuary.
  • The common sheldrake is a familiar sight along the coastlines of Europe.
  • The bird guide listed the hooded merganser as a type of sheldrake.

Advanced Usage

• "Shelduck" vs. "Sheldrake": In precise ornithological usage, "shelduck" (genus ) is often the preferred term for the Old World gooselike ducks, while "sheldrake" is sometimes used more broadly or for specific mergansers. However, in common usage, they can be synonymous for the species.
  • The ornithologist noted that the common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) is sometimes called a sheldrake.

Variants and Related Words

• Shelduck (n): The more standard term for the Old World ducks of the genus .
  • The shelduck nested in the abandoned rabbit burrow.
• Merganser (n): A genus () of diving ducks with serrated bills, some of which are called sheldrakes.
  • The red-breasted merganser is a skilled fisher.

Synonyms

• Goosander: A common name for the common merganser (), a type of sheldrake.
• Shellduck: A direct variant.

Related Phrases

• No specific phrasal verbs or idioms are commonly associated with the word "sheldrake." It is primarily a technical or common name for a bird.

Noun

1. Old World gooselike duck slightly larger than a mallard with variegated mostly black-and-white plumage and a red bill
2. large crested fish-eating diving duck having a slender hooked bill with serrated edges