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Glite Dictionary
Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

9.9
A common songbird in eastern North America with black, white, and reddish-brown feathers
  • noun
  • /ˈpɪpɪloʊ ˌɛrɪθroʊˈfθæləməs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Pipilo erythrophthalmus
  • The eastern towhee, known scientifically as Pipilo erythrophthalmus, is easily identified by its striking call.

Examples

  • Birdwatchers in the eastern United States often spot Pipilo erythrophthalmus foraging on the forest floor.

  • The Pipilo erythrophthalmus is often found in shrubby areas.

  • Researchers have studied the plumage variations of Pipilo erythrophthalmus across different habitats.

  • Have you ever seen a Pipilo erythrophthalmus in the wild?

  • Birdwatchers in the eastern United States often spot Pipilo erythrophthalmus foraging on the forest floor.

  • The eastern towhee, known scientifically as Pipilo erythrophthalmus, is easily identified by its striking call.

  • Researchers have studied the plumage variations of Pipilo erythrophthalmus across different habitats.

Synonyms

towhee
vsPipilo erythrophthalmus
  • US
2 9.9

A North American songbird with a long tail and bright colors

uses a Latin scientific name focusing on formal taxonomy not common speech
chewink
vsPipilo erythrophthalmus
  • US
9.9

A small brown bird with a long tail and a clear two-note call

uses a scientific name to refer formally rather than by common name
cheewink
vsPipilo erythrophthalmus
  • US
9.9

A small North American songbird often found in bushes at forest edges

uses a scientific name instead of a regional everyday name

Surface Forms

Pipilo erythrophthalmus singular
Pipilo erythrophthalmuses plural

Morphology

Pipilo + erythrophthalmus

This is a Latin scientific binomial rather than a compositional English phrase; a B1 learner who knows 'Pipilo' only as a genus label and has no dictionary entry for 'erythrophthalmus' cannot derive 'eastern towhee' from the parts. The meaning depends on taxonomic knowledge and classical-root interpretation unavailable to average learners, so it is not transparently predictable.

Etymology

Pipilo erythrophthalmus may come from words that make a simple picture: Pipilo is from a word for a little 'chirping' bird, and erythrophthalmus is made of parts meaning 'red' and 'eye'. That's why the name helps you picture the eastern towhee as a chirpy bird with a reddish eye area.