eastern kingbird
- noun
- /ˈiːstərn ˈkɪŋbɜrd/
- US
:
rey de la este
- The eastern kingbird is easily identified by the bold white band at the tip of its tail.
Examples
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Every spring, the eastern kingbird returns to our region to nest and raise its young.
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I spotted an eastern kingbird perched on the fence, surveying the field for insects.
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The eastern kingbird is often seen perched on fences.
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Did you spot the eastern kingbird in the park?
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Every spring, the eastern kingbird returns to our region to nest and raise its young.
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I spotted an eastern kingbird perched on the fence, surveying the field for insects.
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The eastern kingbird is easily identified by the bold white band at the tip of its tail.
Synonyms
A large North American bird called the eastern kingbird that catches insects while flying
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'eastern' specifies a geographic orientation of the noun 'kingbird', so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to the kingbird found in the east. The pattern (directional adjective marking a regional variety of an animal) is cross-linguistically common and thus immediately predictable to B1 learners.
Etymology
Eastern kingbird comes from two simple ideas: eastern shows where the bird is found, and kingbird was given because this bold little bird behaves like a 'king'—it chases away much bigger birds to protect its nest. So the name points to a bird found in the east that boldly defends its home.
