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Glite Dictionary
Cygnus columbianus

Cygnus columbianus

9.9
A medium-sized white swan that nests on Arctic tundra and flies far south for winter
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Cygnus columbianus
  • Unlike the trumpeter swan, the Cygnus columbianus prefers to nest in Arctic tundra regions.

Examples

  • The Cygnus columbianus migrates thousands of miles each year between its breeding and wintering grounds.

  • Birdwatchers in Alaska observed several Cygnus columbianus feeding by the lake.

  • The Cygnus columbianus is a beautiful bird found in the Arctic.

  • Have you ever seen a Cygnus columbianus in the wild?

  • Birdwatchers in Alaska observed several Cygnus columbianus feeding by the lake.

  • The Cygnus columbianus migrates thousands of miles each year between its breeding and wintering grounds.

  • Unlike the trumpeter swan, the Cygnus columbianus prefers to nest in Arctic tundra regions.

Synonyms

tundra swan
vsCygnus columbianus
  • UK
1 7.4

A large white bird with a long neck that breeds in Arctic tundra

is the scientific species name used interchangeably with the common name

Surface Forms

Cygnus columbianus singular
Cygnus columbianus plural

Morphology

Cygnus + columbianus

This is a Latin binomial name: while 'Cygnus' denotes the swan genus, the species epithet 'columbianus' is not an ordinary English word and does not transparently convey the sense 'tundra swan' to a B1 learner. Scientific Latin names function as labels rather than compositional phrases, so the full species meaning cannot be reliably derived from the parts by typical learners.

Etymology

Cygnus columbianus comes from Latin name parts: Cygnus means 'swan' and columbianus likely means 'of Columbia' or 'from America'. So the name literally says 'the American swan', which helps you remember it is a swan species that breeds in tundra and migrates long distances.