Carduelis carduelis
- noun
- Specialized
:
Carduelis carduelis
- The crimson face of the Carduelis carduelis makes it easy to identify in the wild.
Examples
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The Carduelis carduelis is admired for its vibrant colors and melodic song.
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Birdwatchers in Europe often spot the Carduelis carduelis among thistles and wildflowers.
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The Carduelis carduelis is often seen in gardens.
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Have you spotted a Carduelis carduelis lately?
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Birdwatchers in Europe often spot the Carduelis carduelis among thistles and wildflowers.
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The Carduelis carduelis is admired for its vibrant colors and melodic song.
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The crimson face of the Carduelis carduelis makes it easy to identify in the wild.
Synonyms
1
4.2
A small bird that sings with bright yellow and black feathers, some have a red face
How Colorful
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a scientific binomial: knowing 'Carduelis' as a genus of finches allows a learner to infer that Carduelis carduelis is a kind of finch (so the general category is predictable). However, the specific common name and the detailed descriptive features (European goldfinch, crimson face, yellow-and-black wings) are not derivable from the repeated Latin name alone and require domain knowledge, so the transparency is partial.
Etymology
Carduelis carduelis comes from the Latin word 'carduus' meaning 'thistle', because these small, bright birds often feed among thistles and wildflowers. So the scientific name points to the bird's food and place, helping us remember this little 'European goldfinch'.