Icterus spurius
- noun
- /ˈɪktərəs ˈspʊəriəs/
- Specialized
:
Icterus spurius
- The male Icterus spurius is easily recognized by his chestnut-and-black coloring.
Examples
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The Icterus spurius is often found in orchards.
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Many birdwatchers hope to spot the elusive Icterus spurius during spring migration.
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Habitat loss threatens the breeding grounds of the Icterus spurius in North America.
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Did you see an Icterus spurius in the garden?
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Many birdwatchers hope to spot the elusive Icterus spurius during spring migration.
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The male Icterus spurius is easily recognized by his chestnut-and-black coloring.
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The Icterus spurius is typically found in orchards where it builds its nest.
Synonyms
A small North American songbird whose male has chestnut and black feathers
Surface Forms
Morphology
Icterus + spurius
This is a Latin scientific binomial functioning as a taxonomic label rather than a compositional English phrase. Even if a learner recognized Icterus as a group of orioles, the epithet 'spurius' is not an English word and the specific meaning 'orchard oriole' and its plumage are not derivable from the parts, so the name is not predictable to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Icterus spurius may come from an old name for orioles (Icterus) and the Latin word spurius, which means 'false'. Early scientists often confused this chestnut-and-black oriole with other similar birds, so the name points to a bird that looks like another species and helps you remember what kind of oriole it is.
