Fulica americana
- noun
- /ˈfuːlɪkə əˈmɛrɪkən/
- Specialized
:
Fulica americana
- Field guides often list Fulica americana under its common name, the American coot.
Examples
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Look at that Fulica americana diving for food!
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I spotted a Fulica americana in the lake yesterday.
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During migration, large flocks of Fulica americana can be seen on inland lakes.
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The wetlands are home to many birds, including the Fulica americana.
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During migration, large flocks of Fulica americana can be seen on inland lakes.
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Field guides often list Fulica americana under its common name, the American coot.
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I spotted a Fulica americana in the lake yesterday.
Synonyms
19
8.5
A medium-sized dark water bird with a white beak and forehead that looks like a duck
A medium-sized water bird with a gray body and white bill often found in lakes and ponds
A medium water bird with dark feathers that swims in lakes and ponds
A small bird that lives in marshes, like the American coot
Surface Forms
Morphology
Fulica + americana
This is a Latin binomial composed of the genus name 'Fulica' (a coot) plus the adjective 'americana' (American), so the overall meaning 'American coot' is directly derivable from the parts. The pattern of genus + adjectival species epithet is compositional and cross-linguistically recognizable, and 'americana' is clearly cognate with 'American', making it transparent to learners who know the constituents.
Etymology
The scientific name Fulica americana comes from Latin words that describe the bird. The part Fulica names the coot and americana shows it is from America, so the name simply means the 'American coot'.