zebra finch
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A small, brightly colored songbird (Taeniopygia guttata) native to Australia, characterized by distinctive black and white striped markings on the chest and throat of the male, reminiscent of a zebra's stripes. It is a popular cage bird worldwide.
Usage
The term "zebra finch" is used to refer to the specific bird species. It functions as a countable noun. - Scientists study the zebra finch to understand vocal learning in birds. - She has a pair of zebra finches in an aviary. - The zebra finch's song is complex and learned.
Examples
- The male zebra finch is easily identified by its orange cheek patches and striped throat.
- Zebra finches are highly social and should not be kept alone.
- We heard the cheerful chirping of a zebra finch.
Advanced Usage
- As a model organism: In scientific contexts, "zebra finch" is frequently used to denote this species as a model for research in neurobiology, behavior, and genetics.
- The zebra finch has become a key model organism for studying the neural basis of song learning.
Variants and Related Words
- Zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata): The full scientific name.
- Finch: The broader family (Fringillidae or Estrildidae) to which the zebra finch belongs. Not all finches are zebra finches.
Synonyms
- Chestnut-eared finch (an older/common name referencing the male's markings).
- Spotted-sided finch (another descriptive name).
- There is no perfect common synonym; "zebra finch" is the standard English name for this specific species.
Related Phrases/Idioms
There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs specifically using "zebra finch." It is primarily a technical/zoological term.
Noun
- small Australian weaverbird with markings like a zebra's