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

1. small Australian weaverbird with markings like a zebra's