dark-eyed junco
- noun
- /ˈdɑrkˌaɪd ˈdʒʌŋkoʊ/
- US
:
junco de ojos oscuros
- I spotted a dark-eyed junco in my backyard.
Examples
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Birdwatchers often spot the dark-eyed junco foraging on the forest floor.
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A flock of dark-eyed juncos visited our backyard during the winter months.
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The distinctive markings of the dark-eyed junco make it easy to identify among other sparrows.
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The dark-eyed juncos are migrating south for the winter.
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As winter approached, a dark-eyed junco perched on the fence, searching for seeds in the snow.
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The dark-eyed junco often forages on the ground, hopping among the fallen leaves.
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Many birdwatchers enjoy spotting the dark-eyed junco during their morning walks in the neighborhood.
Synonyms
1
8.8
A small North American bird like a sparrow with gray or brown feathers often seen in winter
A small North American sparrow with grey and white feathers and dark eyes
Surface Forms
Morphology
dark-eyed + junco
The phrase simply combines a descriptive compound 'dark-eyed' (dark + eyed) with the noun 'junco' to denote a junco that has dark eyes; a learner who knows the constituent meanings can compose this interpretation. While 'junco' as a species name may be unfamiliar, the overall referent (a small bird with dark eyes) is directly derivable and cross-linguistically typical for animal descriptions, so the expression is transparent.
Etymology
The name dark-eyed junco simply describes the bird: dark-eyed points to its dark eyes and junco is the common name for this small sparrow. That's why the name helps people remember it is 'a common North American songbird'.