Agelaius phoeniceus
- noun
- /ˈeɪdʒəˌlaɪəs fəˈnɪsiəs/
- Specialized
:
Agelaius phoeniceus
- The distinctive red patches make the Agelaius phoeniceus easy to identify among other blackbirds.
Examples
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Ornithologists observe the plumage of the Agelaius phoeniceus to study mating behaviors.
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I spotted an Agelaius phoeniceus perched on a fence.
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During spring, the Agelaius phoeniceus can be spotted in marshes across North America.
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The Agelaius phoeniceus is known for its distinctive call.
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During spring, the Agelaius phoeniceus can be spotted in marshes across North America.
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The distinctive red patches make the Agelaius phoeniceus easy to identify among other blackbirds.
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Ornithologists observe the plumage of the Agelaius phoeniceus to study mating behaviors.
Synonyms
1
8.5
A black bird with bright red and yellow shoulder patches often found in marshes
1
5.8
A North American blackbird with bright red and yellow shoulder patches on males
Surface Forms
Morphology
Agelaius + phoeniceus
This is a scientific Latin binomial rather than a compositional English phrase: genus names and species epithets are technical labels and do not follow everyday English compositional meaning. One constituent ('phoeniceus') is not a normal English word (not found in the dictionary) and 'Agelaius' is a taxonomic name, so a B1 learner who knows ordinary English vocabulary would not be able to derive 'red-winged blackbird' from the parts.
Etymology
The scientific name Agelaius phoeniceus may come from ancient Greek words: Agelaius meaning 'flock' and phoeniceus meaning 'red'. So the name paints a clear picture of a social blackbird with bright red shoulder patches, which is why it refers to the red-winged blackbird today.