Birdwatching Terms

verb to descend from a vehicle or horse; dismount

adjective burning; on fire

adverb in the act of descending or burning

• The passengers were instructed to alight from the train at the next station.
• Let's alight from the bus at the next stop.
• We should alight from the car and check out this cool spot.
• Her eyes alighted on the beautiful painting in the gallery.

noun a group of people who are noisy and disorderly

verb to make the characteristic sound of a rooster

• The crow is known for its distinctive black plumage.
• I saw a bunch of crows hanging out on the power lines.
• That guy is as annoying as a crow cawing in the morning.
• The crowd of protesters outside the building was as loud as a flock of crows.

noun a long-billed marsh bird with a harsh call

verb to make a sly or petty verbal attack

• The hunter patiently waited to snipe the bird from a distance.
• I heard you can snipe some great deals at the online auction.
• I'm going to snipe that last slice of pizza before anyone else can grab it.
• She always tries to snipe at my confidence with her harsh criticisms.

noun a small to medium-sized songbird with a speckled breast and a loud, musical song

• The doctor diagnosed the patient with oral thrush, a common fungal infection.
• I heard that thrush can be quite uncomfortable, have you experienced any symptoms?
• My sister's boyfriend is a real thrush, always showing off his expensive possessions.
• The thrush of emotions overwhelmed her as she watched the sunset with her loved one.

noun the act of making sudden, quick movements

verb to make a sudden, quick movement

adjective characterized by sudden, quick movements

• The doctor observed the patient's twitching muscles as a possible sign of nerve damage.
• I noticed your eye twitching when you get stressed out.
• Her leg was twitching like crazy during the scary movie.
• The constant twitching of his eyebrows revealed his nervousness during the interview.

noun a small Old World bird with a brown plumage and a habit of twisting its neck in a wry manner

• The medical term for wryneck is torticollis, a condition characterized by a twisted neck.
• My cousin had wryneck last month and had to wear a neck brace for a few weeks.
• I woke up with a wryneck from sleeping in a weird position.
• The political situation in the country can be described as a wryneck, with conflicting interests pulling in different directions.

noun a gerund form of the verb 'owl', referring to the act of imitating an owl's hooting sound

verb present participle form of the verb 'owl', which means to make a sound like an owl

• Owling is a popular bird watching activity that involves observing and identifying different species of owls.
• My friends and I are planning to go owling tonight to see if we can spot any owls in the woods.
• I heard owling is the new trend among nature enthusiasts, so I might give it a try.
• In the darkness of the night, the owl's hoot echoed through the forest, symbolizing wisdom and mystery in the ancient practice of owling.

noun a place where herons nest and breed

• The heronry in the nearby wetlands is a protected habitat for the birds.
• We should go check out the heronry by the lake, it's pretty cool to see all the birds nesting.
• I heard there's a huge heronry out in the woods, we should go take a look.
• The bustling city street was like a heronry of activity, with people coming and going at all hours.

noun a small North American songbird with a black cap and bib and gray back, noted for its distinctive call

• The Acadian chickadee is a small bird species found in the northeastern regions of North America.
• I saw an Acadian chickadee while hiking in the woods yesterday.
• That Acadian chickadee is one cute little bird!
• The Acadian chickadee's song filled the forest with joy.