Circus pygargus
- noun
- Specialized
:
Circus pygargus
- Scientists observed a nesting pair of Circus pygargus in the wetlands last spring.
Examples
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Circus pygargus can be identified by its long wings and slender body when soaring over grasslands.
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Circus pygargus is often seen gliding low over fields in search of prey.
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The conservation of Circus pygargus populations has become a priority in some European countries.
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Look! There goes a Circus pygargus soaring above us!
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The Circus pygargus is often seen hunting in open fields.
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In the spring, a pair of Circus pygargus built their nest on the ground among the tall grasses.
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Birdwatchers often look for the Circus pygargus during migration season, as it is a beautiful sight.
Synonyms
A medium-sized bird of prey with a slim body and brownish feathers that flies over fields and marshes
Surface Forms
Morphology
Circus + pygargus
This is a scientific Latin binomial (genus + species) whose parts are not meaningful to an average B1 learner: 'Circus' as a taxonomic genus and 'pygargus' (unknown in the dictionary) do not transparently convey 'a brownish European harrier'. Taxonomic names and Latin/Greek roots are language-specific and arbitrary for most learners, so the bird identity cannot be derived from the constituents.
Etymology
Circus pygargus may come from older words that describe how the bird looks and hunts. Circus suggests a 'circle' because these harriers fly in low loops over fields, and pygargus points to the pale or 'white rump' you see when it flies, so the name helps you picture a low-flying, white-rumped hunter.
