kingbird
- kingbird
-
/king"berrd'/, n.
any of several American tyrant flycatchers of the genus
Tyrannus, esp.
T. tyrannus (eastern kingbird), of North America, known for their pugnacious disposition toward predators. Also called
bee martin.
[
1770-80, Amer.; KING + BIRD]
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any of 13 species of birds (
bird) of the family Tyrannidae noted for their pugnacity. Although only about 20 cm (8 inches) long, a kingbird will chase birds as large as a
crow or a
hawk; it will even ride on the larger bird's back and peck at its head. Kingbirds are gray above and white, gray, or yellow below. All have a concealed but erectile crest of red, orange, or yellow. The genus is widely distributed from Canada to Argentina. The eastern kingbird (
T. tyrannus) ranges from the east coast of the United States to eastern Washington and Oregon in the United States and British Columbia and the Northwest Territories in Canada; it is dark slate gray above and white below, with a white tail tip. It is common along roads in open country and may also raid apiaries, hence its local names of
bee bird or bee-martin. The western kingbird (
T. verticalis), found westward from the Great Plains, is light gray above and yellow below, with whitish edges on the outermost tail feathers. Both species have a red spot (usually concealed) on the crown.
Sy Montgomery
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Universalium.
2010.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
Kingbird — King bird, n. (Zo[ o]l.) 1. A small American bird ({Tyrannus tyrannus}, or {Tyrannus Carolinensis}), noted for its courage in attacking larger birds, even hawks and eagles, especially when they approach its nest in the breeding season. It is a… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
kingbird — ☆ kingbird [kiŋ′bʉrd΄] n. any of several aggressive tyrant flycatchers (genus Tyrannus) of the U.S. and Canada … English World dictionary
Kingbird — Taxobox name = Kingbirds image caption = Eastern Kingbird regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Passeriformes familia = Tyrannidae genus = Tyrannus genus authority = Lacepede, 1799 subdivision ranks = Species subdivision = See … Wikipedia
kingbird — karališkieji tironai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Tyrannus angl. kingbird rus. королевский тиранн, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – tironai siauresnis terminas – atogrąžinis karališkasis tironas siauresnis terminas –… … Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas
kingbird — noun Date: 1778 any of various American tyrant flycatchers (genus Tyrannus) that are gray above and white, gray, or yellow below … New Collegiate Dictionary
kingbird — noun A group of large insectivorous passerine birds of the genus Tyrannus … Wiktionary
kingbird — noun a large American tyrant flycatcher, typically with a grey head and back and yellowish or white underparts. [Genus Tyrannus: several species.] … English new terms dictionary
kingbird — n. Tyrant fly catcher (Muscicapa tyrannus or Tyrannus intrepidus) … New dictionary of synonyms
kingbird — king•bird [[t]ˈkɪŋˌbɜrd[/t]] n. orn any of several large, pugnacious New World flycatchers of the genus Tyrannus[/ex] • Etymology: 1770–80, amer … From formal English to slang
kingbird — n. any flycatcher of the genus Tyrannus, with olive grey plumage and long pointed wings … Useful english dictionary
