northern harrier
- noun
- /ˈnɔrðərn ˈhɛriər/
- US
:
aguilucho pálido
Examples
-
We saw three northern harriers in different spots, or maybe just the same hawk following us, since it was a brown female on each occasion.
Blog text (17) -
At 4:19, a northern harrier came into view, flew toward the Harris' hawks, and landed close to the suspected kill location.
Academic text (1990) -
Bird life is abundant in and along the Yellowstone River, and the valley is also an excellent place to look for bald eagles and northern harriers.
Academic text (2009) -
While birdwatching, I was excited to spot a northern harrier flying low over the marshes, searching for its next meal.
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During autumn, the northern harrier can often be seen gliding over open fields in search of rodents.
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The northern harrier is known for its distinctive hunting style, often seen hovering before it swoops down to catch prey.
Synonyms
1
8.1
A hawk that hunts small animals over marshes and fields
A medium-sized hunting bird that lives in marshes and open fields
A medium bird of prey with long wings and tail that flies low to hunt over marshes and open land
A bird that nests in marshes and flies low to hunt small animals
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward noun phrase where 'northern' (pertaining to the north) modifies 'harrier' (a type of raptor), so knowing both constituents allows a learner to infer it refers to a harrier found in northern areas. This compositional, descriptive naming pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows regular English adjective + noun morphology, making the meaning immediately accessible to a learner who knows the parts.
Etymology
Northern harrier gets its name from where it lives and how it hunts: northern because it lives in the north, and harrier from a word meaning 'to harry', that is, 'to chase'. So the name makes you picture a bird gliding low over fields and marshes to hunt, which is why we call it that today.