songbird
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A perching bird (oscine) of the suborder Passeri, known for its vocal organ (syrinx) which enables complex and often musical songs: A songbird is specifically a member of the largest suborder of perching birds, characterized by their sophisticated vocal abilities used for communication and territorial defense.
- More broadly, any bird that produces musical or pleasing vocal sounds: In common usage, the term can refer to any bird species known for its melodious call, even if not a true oscine.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The robin is a common songbird whose cheerful melody signals the arrival of spring.
- She filled the garden with feeders to attract various songbirds like finches and sparrows.
- The dawn chorus, performed by countless songbirds, is a beautiful natural phenomenon.
Advanced Usage
- "Songbird" in figurative language: Used metaphorically to describe a person, especially a woman, with a beautiful singing voice.
- The jazz club's legendary songbird captivated the audience with her soulful voice.
Variants and Related Words
- Songster (n): An older or literary term for a singing bird or a male singer.
- The woodland was full of feathered songsters.
- Oscine (n): The formal biological term for a true songbird of the suborder Passeri.
- Passerine (n): A broader term for perching birds, which includes songbirds (oscines) and other suborders.
Synonyms
- Singing bird: A direct descriptive synonym.
- Warbler: Often used for specific families of songbirds known for their trilling songs, though it is also the name for a specific bird family (Parulidae).
Related Phrases
- Songbird population: Refers to the collective number or health of songbird species in an area, often discussed in ecology.
- Conservation efforts aim to protect the declining songbird population.
Related Idioms
- "A little songbird told me": A playful, informal idiom used to indicate that the speaker has heard a piece of gossip or information but wishes to keep the source secret. It personifies the source of information as a bird.
- A little songbird told me you're planning a surprise party.
Noun
- any bird having a musical call