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Cygnus columbianus bewickii

Cygnus columbianus bewickii

9.9
A small white tundra swan in Europe and Asia with a yellow and black bill
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : Cygnus columbianus bewickii
  • Unlike the whooper swan, the Cygnus columbianus bewickii is notably smaller and has more black on its bill.

Examples

  • The distinctive yellow and black bill of the Cygnus columbianus bewickii helps birdwatchers identify this swan.

  • The Cygnus columbianus bewickii migrates annually between the Arctic tundra and parts of western Europe.

  • Birdwatchers in the UK eagerly await the arrival of Cygnus columbianus bewickii each winter.

  • The Cygnus columbianus bewickii is often found in wetlands.

  • Did you see the Cygnus columbianus bewickii at the lake?

  • Every winter, many Cygnus columbianus bewickii arrive in the UK to escape the cold Arctic weather.

  • During migration season, the Cygnus columbianus bewickii can often be seen grazing in marshy areas.

Synonyms

Bewick's swan
vsCygnus columbianus bewickii
  • UK
8.8

A small white swan from Europe and Asia with a yellow and black beak

is the scientific name for the same subspecies

Surface Forms

Cygnus columbianus bewickii singular
Cygnus columbianus bewickiis plural

Morphology

Cygnus + columbianus + bewickii

The genus name 'Cygnus' directly signals 'swan', so a learner who knows that term could infer this is a kind of swan. However, the species/subspecies epithets ('columbianus', 'bewickii') are Latinized proper names with no transparent English meaning for a B1 learner, and the precise sense 'Eurasian subspecies of tundra swan' requires specialist knowledge, so the expression is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Cygnus columbianus bewickii comes from Latin and a person's name: Cygnus means 'swan' and bewickii honors the English bird artist Thomas Bewick. So the name helps us remember it is Bewick's small tundra 'swan' with the yellow and black bill.