grackle
- noun
- /ˈɡrækl/
- UK
:
myna
- The grackle in the aviary could imitate several words with surprising clarity.
Examples
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Many bird enthusiasts try to teach their pet grackle to mimic phrases.
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A grackle landed on the fence.
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A grackle perched on the wire, its feathers shining in the sun.
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The grackles are very vocal in the morning.
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The grackle perched on the fence, its shiny feathers glistening in the sunlight.
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As we walked through the park, we could hear a grackle mimicking the sound of a car alarm.
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During the spring, the grackle often gathers in large flocks, filling the trees with their chatter.
Synonyms
20
3.9
A small to medium bird with dark shiny feathers that lives in groups and copies sounds of other birds
1
7.5
A tropical bird from Asia that copies human speech and is often kept as a pet
A large shiny black bird like a starling that can copy human speech
A shiny black bird from Asia that can copy human speech
A group of birds like hill mynas that can copy sounds
Compounds
Surface Forms
Etymology
Grackle comes from the old Latin word graculus, which meant a 'jackdaw' or small, noisy black bird. So the same name was used for glossy black starlings in Asia, some of which are even good at mimicking human speech.