ricebird

8.3

A small bird often found in rice fields that eats rice plants

noun
/ˈraɪsˌbɜrd/

: pájaro del arroz

A flock of ricebirds landed in the wet rice fields at dawn.

Examples

Farmers often consider the ricebird a pest because it eats their crops.
The ricebird is admired for its striking plumage and melodic song.
The ricebird chirped happily in the morning.
Many ricebirds gather in the fields at dusk.
A flock of ricebirds landed in the wet rice fields at dawn.
Farmers often consider the ricebird a pest because it eats their crops.
Many ricebirds gather in the fields at dusk.

Synonyms

bobolink

vsricebird

1 9.9

A small North American songbird that moves south in winter and sings a bubbly song

is a general term that also includes similar rice field birds elsewhere

Padda oryzivora

vsricebird

Specialized

9.9

A small finch-like bird from Indonesia that lives in rice fields and is called the Java sparrow

is the common everyday name for that same rice field bird

Java sparrow

vsricebird

6.6

A small bird like a finch with a thick pink beak and black head that lives in rice fields

includes that Indonesian rice field example among its types

Java finch

vsricebird

7.9

A small bird from Indonesia that lives in rice fields and is often kept as a pet

refers more broadly to wild rice field birds rather than captive ones

Dolichonyx oryzivorus

vsricebird

Specialized

9.9

A small migratory American songbird with black and white breeding feathers and a sweet song

is the common name used instead in everyday contexts

Surface Forms

ricebird singular

ricebirds plural

Morphology

ricebird = rice + bird (transparent) = rice + bird

The meaning is directly and predictably derived from 'rice' + 'bird' indicating a bird associated with rice fields.

Etymology

The word ricebird comes from rice ('the crop') and bird ('a small flying animal'), and it names small birds that live in or eat from rice fields, so you can remember it as a bird that loves rice.