🪂 Tries to fly 🦉 Bird expert

birdman

4 8.6

A person who tries to fly like a bird, often by using homemade wings

noun
/ˈbɜrdˌmæn/

: ornitólogo

As a birdman, she was dedicated to studying the migratory patterns of various bird species.
Birdman competition

Examples

During his presentation, the birdman shared his experiences of imitating bird flight.
Will you swim for me, the ariki-mau, the reigning birdman?

Rapa Nui (1994)
If the great moai is finished in time and if I swim for and win the birdman, then the girl in the Virgin Cave is my bride.

Rapa Nui (1994)
The birdman explained the different species of birds he had studied during his career.

Synonyms

birder

vsbirdman

8 5.1

A person who watches and identifies birds in the wild

also covers working with, imitating, or trying to fly like birds

bird watcher

vsbirdman

6 2.8

A person who watches wild birds for fun or study

includes that hobby but also working with or imitating birds

ornithologist

vsbirdman

Specialized

5 8.3

A person who studies birds and how they live and behave

is broader, also including working with or imitating birds and attempting flight

falconer

vsbirdman

4 8.5

A person who keeps and trains falcons for hunting or sport

is more general, also covering observing, imitating, or attempting flight

birdwatcher

vsbirdman

2 2.8

A person who watches and studies wild birds for fun

is broader, covering working with birds or trying to fly like them

twitcher

vsbirdman

Jargon

1 8.1

A person who travels to see rare birds as a hobby

is broader, including general study, working with, or imitating birds

hawker

vsbirdman

Archaic

1 9.6

A person who raises and trains hawks for hunting

is broader, not limited to specialized breeding and training of hawks

bird fancier

vsbirdman

7.6

A person who keeps and cares for birds as a hobby

includes that hobby but also studying, working with, imitating, or trying flight

Surface Forms

birdman singular

birdmen plural

Morphology

birdman = bird + man (transparent) = bird + man

The compound denotes a person who studies, imitates, or attempts to fly like a bird — the relation to 'bird' + 'man' is direct and inferable.

Etymology

Birdman comes from the two simple English words bird and man, meaning 'a man like a bird'. A helpful way to remember this meaning is to imagine someone who copies birds or even tries to fly like them, so birdman can also mean a person who imitates birds or attempts bird-like flight.