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Dumetella carolinensis

Dumetella carolinensis

9.9
A North American songbird that makes a sound like a cat's mew
  • proper noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Dumetella carolinensis
  • Ornithologists studied the nesting habits of the Dumetella carolinensis in various habitats.

Examples

  • The Dumetella carolinensis is often found in dense shrubs.

  • Have you ever seen a Dumetella carolinensis in your backyard?

  • Birdwatchers often identify the Dumetella carolinensis by its distinctive catlike calls.

  • The Dumetella carolinensis is commonly heard in dense shrubs during spring and summer.

  • Birdwatchers often identify the Dumetella carolinensis by its distinctive catlike calls.

  • The Dumetella carolinensis is commonly heard in dense shrubs during spring and summer.

  • Have you ever seen a Dumetella carolinensis in your backyard?

Synonyms

catbird
vsDumetella carolinensis
  • US
1 7.7

A North American songbird whose call sounds like a cat meowing

highlights its family and scientific identity rather than just the call
gray catbird
vsDumetella carolinensis
  • US
6.6

A small gray songbird in North America with a call like a cat

is the scientific name form rather than the common color name

Surface Forms

Morphology

Dumetella + carolinensis

This is a Latin binomial (genus + species epithet): if a learner knows 'Dumetella' as a genus of catbirds and 'carolinensis' as relating to Carolina, they can infer it denotes a particular Dumetella species from Carolina. However, taxonomic Latin and the specific common name 'gray catbird' are specialized knowledge and not fully predictable from the parts for an average B1 learner, so the relation is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Dumetella carolinensis comes from Latin words: Dumetella means 'small bush' or 'bush-dweller' and carolinensis means 'from Carolina'. So the name shows a bird that lives in thick shrubs in Carolina and nearby places, which helps you remember the 'gray catbird'.