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Glite Dictionary
woodhewer

woodhewer

9.9
A bird with a curved beak and stiff tail that climbs tree trunks to find insects like a woodpecker
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : trepador
  • We spotted a woodhewer climbing a tree during our birdwatching trip in Costa Rica.

Examples

  • Unlike woodpeckers, the woodhewer uses its curved bill to probe for insects beneath bark.

  • The woodhewer is often found in tropical forests.

  • The Amazon rainforest is home to several species of woodhewer.

  • I saw a woodhewer climbing a tree yesterday.

  • During our hike, we were excited to see a woodhewer skillfully climbing the trunk of a tree.

  • The woodhewer is easily recognized by its thick, curved bill and its ability to climb vertically.

  • In the dense jungle, a woodhewer tapped on the bark in search of food.

Synonyms

woodcreeper
vswoodhewer
9.9

A bird of Central and South America with a curved bill and stiff tail that climbs trunks like a woodpecker

is the identical bird term but uses a different common name

Surface Forms

woodhewer singular
woodhewars plural

Morphology

woodhewer = wood + hewer (semi-transparent) = wood + hewer

Built as the compound 'wood' + 'hewer' which signals something that 'hews' wood, but 'hewer' is uncommon and the application to a bird is metaphorical rather than strictly literal for learners.

Etymology

Woodhewer comes from the simple parts wood and hew, where hew means 'to cut'. Think of a bird that seems to 'cut' or chip at tree bark with its curved bill as it climbs trunks to find insects, which is why the name fits this wood-climbing, woodpecker-like bird.