Mycteria americana

9.9

A large stork with a long curved bill that wades in warm American wetlands

noun
/mɪkˈtɪəriə əˈmɛrɪkən/

Specialized

: Mycteria americana

The long, curved bill of the Mycteria americana helps it catch fish and amphibians.

Examples

The Mycteria americana can often be seen wading through shallow waters in Florida's wetlands.
The Mycteria americana, or wood stork, is a distinctive bird commonly found in the wetlands of Florida.
Researchers are tracking the migration patterns of Mycteria americana to study habitat changes.
The Mycteria americana is often seen wading in shallow waters.
Look at that beautiful Mycteria americana flying overhead!
You can observe the Mycteria americana as it wades through the shallows, searching for food.
The unique downward-curved bill of the Mycteria americana is well-adapted for catching fish.

Synonyms

wood stork

vsMycteria americana

1 7.4

A large wading bird with a long curved bill and a bald head that lives in American swamps

is the scientific name used for the same bird

flinthead

vsMycteria americana

Archaic

9.9

A large wading bird like a stork with a long bill that curves downward and lives in American swamps

is the scientific name rather than that common label

Surface Forms

Mycteria americana singular

Mycteria americanas plural

Morphology

Mycteria + americana

This is a compositional Latin binomial: the genus name 'Mycteria' (a stork genus) combined with the specific epithet 'americana' (denoting American). If a learner knows both constituents and understands the naming pattern, the meaning 'the American Mycteria / wood stork' is directly derivable. The same binomial logic is used across languages, so the relation is transparent rather than idiomatic.

Etymology

Mycteria americana takes its name from older words: Mycteria was used for stork-like birds with a long, curved bill, and americana means 'from America'. So the name points to a big stork found in American wetlands.