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upland plover

upland plover

9.9
A large brown bird with long legs that lives in open North American fields
  • noun
  • /ˈʌplənd ˈploʊvər/
  • US
translation icon : playero de tierras altas
  • The upland plover is known for its distinctive whistling call during the mating season.

Examples

  • Every spring, the upland plover returns to the grasslands of the Midwest.

  • We spotted an upland plover on our hike through the open fields.

  • The upland plover is known for its distinctive call.

  • Many upland plovers migrate south for the winter.

  • Every spring, the upland plover returns to the grasslands of the Midwest.

  • The upland plover is known for its distinctive whistling call during the mating season.

  • We spotted an upland plover on our hike through the open fields.

Synonyms

upland sandpiper
vsupland plover
  • US
9.1

A large bird with a long neck and yellow legs that lives in open fields and grasslands

is an alternative common name for the same species
Bartramian sandpiper
vsupland plover
  • US
9.9

A large bird like a plover that lives in North American fields and meadows

is a different common name referring to the same bird
Bartramia longicauda
vsupland plover
  • Specialized
9.9

A large bird like a plover that lives in North American grasslands

is the ordinary common name used in everyday speech

Surface Forms

upland plover singular

Morphology

upland + plover

The compound is transparently compositional: 'upland' (higher land) + 'plover' (a type of wading bird) straightforwardly denotes a plover associated with upland areas. This noun‑noun formation follows predictable semantic combination and is likely inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Upland plover is named for where the bird lives. Upland means 'higher open land' or 'fields' and plover is a small bird, so the name tells us it is a plover that lives in open fields away from the coast.