Definition

Noun: 1. A small European songbird (Emberiza citrinella) of the bunting family. The male has a bright yellow head and underparts. 2. A large woodpecker of eastern North America (Colaptes auratus), also commonly called the Northern Flicker. It has a red neck and the undersides of its wings and tail are yellow.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Bird 1):
  • The yellowhammer is a familiar sight in the farmlands of Britain.
  • We heard the distinctive song of a yellowhammer from the hedgerow.
• Noun (Bird 2):
  • A yellowhammer was pecking at the ground for ants.
  • You can identify the yellowhammer in flight by the yellow flash under its wings.

Advanced Usage

• The name "yellowhammer" for the woodpecker is primarily used in the southern United States. In most other regions, the bird is known as the "Northern Flicker" or simply "flicker."
• The two birds share the same common name due to their prominent yellow markings, but they are from completely different bird families (Emberizidae and Picidae).

Variants and Related Words

• Yellow-hammer: An alternative spelling, sometimes used with a hyphen.
• Yellow bunting: Another common name for the European .
• Northern Flicker: The more widespread common name for the North American woodpecker .

Synonyms

• For the European bird: Yellow bunting.
• For the North American bird: Northern Flicker, flicker.

Notes on Different Meanings

This word is a clear example of a homonym in ornithology, where the same common name is used for two distinct species on different continents. The context (geographic location or description) is essential for determining which bird is being referenced.

Noun

1. European bunting the male being bright yellow
2. large flicker of eastern North America with a red neck and yellow undersurface to wings and tail