Egretta thula
- noun
- Specialized
:
garza nevada
- The Egretta thula is easily recognized by its bright yellow feet and slender black bill.
Examples
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Researchers are studying the nesting habits of Egretta thula to better understand their breeding success.
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The Egretta thula is often seen wading in shallow waters.
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During migration, large flocks of Egretta thula can be seen along the coastal wetlands.
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I spotted an Egretta thula near the lake yesterday.
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During migration, large flocks of Egretta thula can be seen along the coastal wetlands.
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The Egretta thula is easily recognized by its bright yellow feet and slender black bill.
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I spotted an Egretta thula near the lake yesterday.
Synonyms
1
7.7
A small white bird with long black legs and bright yellow feet often found near water
A small white bird with a thin black bill, black legs, and yellow feet
Surface Forms
Morphology
Egretta + thula
This is a scientific binomial rather than a compositional phrase: 'Egretta' is a taxonomic genus (herons) and 'thula' has no dictionary entry, so the two parts function as a species label rather than a transparent combination. An average B1 learner who knows the constituent words would not be able to infer the meaning 'snowy egret, a small white egret' from these parts, so the expression is not derivable from its constituents.
Etymology
Egretta thula comes from words for a small heron and a local name used where the bird lives. Egretta is like 'egret', meaning 'small white heron', and thula may come from a native word from the Americas. So the name paints a picture of the small white bird with black legs and bright yellow feet that we now call the 'snowy egret'.