pheasant coucal
- noun
- Australian
:
cucú faisán
- Unlike typical cuckoos, the pheasant coucal builds its own nest and raises its own young.
Examples
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The pheasant coucal is often seen walking on the ground rather than flying.
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The pheasant coucal is known for its distinctive call.
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In the early morning, a pheasant coucal called from the tall grass near the creek.
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I spotted a pheasant coucal in the garden.
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In the early morning, a pheasant coucal called from the tall grass near the creek.
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The pheasant coucal is often seen walking on the ground rather than flying.
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Unlike typical cuckoos, the pheasant coucal builds its own nest and raises its own young.
Synonyms
A large Australian bird in the cuckoo family with a long pheasant-like tail
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositional: 'pheasant' + 'coucal' denotes a coucal that has pheasant-like characteristics (notably a long tail), so the overall meaning is directly built from the constituents. This follows regular English noun–noun naming patterns for animals and would be inferable to a B1 learner who knows both words.
Etymology
Pheasant coucal is named for how it looks: it is a coucal, a kind of cuckoo, with a long tail like a pheasant. So the name gives a clear picture and is used for that large Australian bird that often walks on the ground.
