black stork
- noun
- UK
:
cigüeña negra
- Nkanda initiates are often referred to as black storks; they darken their bodies and imitate the bird's behavior at certain stages of the rite.
Examples
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Van Damme suggests that it is the purple heron, a bird known to lead flocks of black storks.
Academic text (2001) -
While watching the wetlands, we were thrilled to spot a pair of black storks gracefully wading through the shallow water.
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The black stork is known for its striking appearance, with glossy black feathers contrasting sharply with its white underparts.
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During our trip to Europe, we were lucky enough to see a black stork nesting near the lake, a sight not often encountered.
Synonyms
A large black-and-white stork that lives in forests and wetlands
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a stork that is black' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'black' (a color) with 'stork' (a bird); a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to a stork with black plumage. This color+animal compound follows a common, cross-linguistic naming pattern and is therefore immediately comprehensible to learners.
Etymology
Black stork is a simple name that describes the bird you see: a stork with mostly black upper feathers and a white belly. So today black stork means 'a large stork species with glossy black upperparts', the name used for that specific bird.
