Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🐒 A monkey 🦝 A raccoon-like animal 🦅 A young eagle
ringtail

ringtail

9.9
A young golden eagle before it grows full adult feathers
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : águila joven
  • The young ringtail soared above the canyon, distinct from the adults by its paler feathers.

Examples

  • Birdwatchers often have trouble distinguishing a ringtail from similar-looking juvenile raptors.

  • We spotted a ringtail during our hike in the mountains.

  • During migration season, a keen eye can spot a ringtail gliding low over the fields.

  • The ringtail soared gracefully above the valley.

  • Birdwatchers often have trouble distinguishing a ringtail from similar-looking juvenile raptors.

  • The young ringtail soared above the canyon, distinct from the adults by its paler feathers.

  • During migration season, a keen eye can spot a ringtail gliding low over the fields.

Synonyms

eaglet
vsringtail
1 5.8

A young eagle that has not yet left the nest

is an immature golden eagle before adult plumage rather than a nestling

Surface Forms

ringtail singular
ringtails plural

Morphology

ringtail = ring + tail (semi-transparent) = ring + tail

The compound form 'ring' + 'tail' is literal (juvenile plumage often shows tail banding), but the specialized ornithological usage 'immature golden eagle' is a domain-specific sense not obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Ringtail comes from the simple parts ring and tail, meaning 'tail with rings'. Birdwatchers use it for a young golden eagle because the bird's tail shows pale bands before it gets adult feathers, so the name points to the bird's banded tail.