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Glite Dictionary
mound bird

mound bird

9.9
A large bird with big feet that builds mounds of dead plants to keep its eggs warm
  • noun
  • Australian
translation icon : ave montículo
  • The mound bird uses rotting vegetation to keep its eggs warm during incubation.

Examples

  • We observed a mound bird meticulously piling leaves on its nesting mound.

  • Many species of mound birds are found only in Australia and nearby islands.

  • The mound bird is known for its unique nesting habits.

  • Many mound birds can be found in Australia.

  • The mound bird expertly constructs its nest using layers of decaying leaves and twigs.

  • In the forest, we spotted a mound bird tending to its mound, ensuring the eggs stay warm.

  • A mound bird can be seen gathering materials to build its incubation mound in the wild.

Synonyms

mound builder
vsmound bird
  • Australian
1 9.9

A bird that builds a large pile of leaves and rotting plants to keep its eggs warm

is the common descriptive name rather than the scientific term
mound-bird
vsmound bird
  • Australian
9.9

A bird with large feet that builds piles of dead plants to keep its eggs warm

is the same meaning but written without a hyphen in modern usage
scrub fowl
vsmound bird
  • Australian
9.9

A large ground bird that builds a warm mound of rotting plants to hatch its eggs

uses a different two word common name for the same group
megapode
vsmound bird
  • Australian
9.9

A ground bird from Australia and nearby islands that uses mounds of rotting plants to warm eggs

describes the birds by behavior and appearance rather than taxonomic class
brush turkey
vsmound bird
  • Australian
9.7

A large black bird that builds big nesting mounds in the woods of Australia and New Guinea

names the whole group of similar mound building birds rather than one species

Surface Forms

mound bird singular
mound birds plural

Morphology

mound + bird

The compound is directly compositional: 'mound' (a raised area of earth) + 'bird' yields a bird associated with mounds, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it's a bird that lives on or uses mounds. Detailed biological specifics (large-footed, short-winged, incubation strategy) are specialised, but the basic referent is immediately predictable from the constituents.

Etymology

The name mound bird comes from the bird's habit of piling dead leaves and branches into a mound so the heat from the rotting plants keeps its eggs warm. That's why mound bird means a bird that uses a 'mound' to keep its eggs warm.