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Colaptes chrysoides

Colaptes chrysoides

9.9
A woodpecker from the southwestern United States that looks like the yellow-shafted flicker but has no red neck mark
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Colaptes chrysoides
  • Unlike the yellow-shafted flicker, the Colaptes chrysoides lacks a red mark on its neck.

Examples

  • The Colaptes chrysoides is often spotted nesting in saguaro cacti in Arizona.

  • Birdwatchers hope to see a Colaptes chrysoides during spring migration near the Mexican border.

  • I spotted a Colaptes chrysoides in the park yesterday.

  • Have you ever seen a Colaptes chrysoides in the wild?

  • Birdwatchers hope to see a Colaptes chrysoides during spring migration near the Mexican border.

  • The Colaptes chrysoides is often spotted nesting in saguaro cacti in Arizona.

  • Unlike the yellow-shafted flicker, the Colaptes chrysoides lacks a red mark on its neck.

Synonyms

gilded flicker
vsColaptes chrysoides
  • US
9.9

A large woodpecker from the southwestern United States without a red neck

is the scientific species name for the same bird

Surface Forms

Morphology

Colaptes + chrysoides

This is a Latin binomial name (scientific species name) rather than a compositional English phrase; its parts are taxonomic labels, one of which ('chrysoides') is not a common English word and is absent from the dictionary. Even if a learner knew 'Colaptes' as a genus, a B1 learner would not be able to derive the specific species meaning or distinguishing features from the constituents, so the expression is not transparently interpretable.

Etymology

Colaptes chrysoides comes from Greek words: Colaptes means 'pecker' and chrysoides means 'gold-like'. So the name paints a simple picture of a woodpecker with golden (yellow) feathers, which helps you remember this species.