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Glite Dictionary
scrub fowl

scrub fowl

9.9
A large ground bird that builds a warm mound of rotting plants to hatch its eggs
  • noun
  • Australian
translation icon : pájaro de monte
  • The scrub fowl builds an elaborate mound to provide warmth for its eggs.

Examples

  • Several species of scrub fowl can be found in the rainforests of New Guinea.

  • Naturalists studied how the scrub fowl maintains the temperature of its nesting site.

  • The scrub fowl is known for its unique nesting habits.

  • Did you see a scrub fowl at the nature reserve?

  • Naturalists studied how the scrub fowl maintains the temperature of its nesting site.

  • Several species of scrub fowl can be found in the rainforests of New Guinea.

  • The scrub fowl builds an elaborate mound to provide warmth for its eggs.

Synonyms

mound builder
vsscrub fowl
  • Australian
1 9.9

A bird that builds a large pile of leaves and rotting plants to keep its eggs warm

is the same group but often presented as a common alternative name
megapode
vsscrub fowl
  • Australian
9.9

A ground bird from Australia and nearby islands that uses mounds of rotting plants to warm eggs

is the same bird type but named differently in some contexts
mound bird
vsscrub fowl
  • Australian
9.9

A large bird with big feet that builds mounds of dead plants to keep its eggs warm

focuses on the same breeding habit rather than scientific labelling
mound-bird
vsscrub fowl
  • Australian
9.9

A bird with large feet that builds piles of dead plants to keep its eggs warm

is the broader term used for these birds without changing meaning

Surface Forms

scrub fowl singular
scrub fowls plural

Morphology

scrub + fowl

The noun compound is compositional: 'scrub' (low shrubs) modifies 'fowl' (bird), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer it refers to a bird associated with scrub habitat. While specific biological details (mound-building, Australasia) are not deducible from the parts, the basic referential meaning is transparent.

Etymology

Scrub fowl may come from the bird's home and habits: scrub refers to the low 'bushes' where it lives and fowl means a ground 'bird'. These birds build large mounds of dead leaves and dirt to keep their eggs warm, so the picture of a bird in the scrub making a warm nest explains why we call it scrub fowl.