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Glite Dictionary
Muscivora forficata

Muscivora forficata

9.9
A pale gray bird with a long forked tail and pink chest from southern US and Central America
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Muscivora forficata
  • The distinctive forked tail of the Muscivora forficata makes it easy to identify in flight.

Examples

  • The Muscivora forficata is often spotted performing dazzling aerial displays during mating season.

  • Bird watchers travel to Texas each spring to observe flocks of Muscivora forficata.

  • Look at that Muscivora forficata flying gracefully!

  • The Muscivora forficata is often seen perched on fences.

  • Bird watchers travel to Texas each spring to observe flocks of Muscivora forficata.

  • The Muscivora forficata is often spotted performing dazzling aerial displays during mating season.

  • The distinctive forked tail of the Muscivora forficata makes it easy to identify in flight.

Synonyms

scissortailed flycatcher
vsMuscivora forficata
  • US
9.6

A grey bird with a long forked tail and a white breast with pink and red markings

is the shorter alternative name for the same species
scissortail
vsMuscivora forficata
  • US
9.9

A thin gray bird with a very long forked tail and a white chest with pink and red marks

is the fuller common name with the same meaning

Surface Forms

Muscivora forficata singular
Muscivora forficatas plural

Morphology

Muscivora + forficata

This is a Latin binomial (taxonomic) name functioning primarily as a label rather than a compositional English phrase; a B1 learner who knows 'Muscivora' (genus of insect-catching birds) but not 'forficata' cannot derive 'scissor-tailed flycatcher' from the parts. Scientific epithets are language-specific and often opaque to learners because the second element here is not a familiar English morpheme and the overall meaning is not transparently built from ordinary English vocabulary.

Etymology

Muscivora forficata may come from Latin words: Muscivora meaning 'fly-eater' and forficata meaning 'scissor-shaped'. This gives a clear picture of a bird that catches flies and has a long, forked tail like scissors, so it is called the 'scissor-tailed flycatcher' today.