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Glite Dictionary
satin bird

satin bird

9.9
A bird from southeast Australia whose male is glossy violet-blue and female is light grey-green
  • noun
  • Australian
translation icon : pájaro satinado
  • The male satin bird displays vibrant plumage during mating season.

Examples

  • We spotted a pair of satin birds building a nest in the eucalyptus tree.

  • Naturalists admire the iridescent feathers of the satin bird in the wild.

  • The satin bird is known for its vibrant colors.

  • Look at that satin bird perched on the branch!

  • Birdwatchers often seek out the stunning satin bird for its beautiful glossy feathers.

  • During our hike, we were thrilled to see a male satin bird flaunting its bright colors.

  • In springtime, the male satin bird attracts females with its impressive plumage display.

Synonyms

Ptilonorhynchus violaceus
vssatin bird
  • Specialized
9.9

An Australian bowerbird whose male is glossy violet-blue and builds decorated bowers to attract females

is the everyday name used by people rather than the formal scientific label
satin bowerbird
vssatin bird
  • Australian
9.9

A bird from southeast Australia whose male has shiny blue feathers and builds a decorated structure to attract a mate

focuses on the colour of sexes rather than on courtship behavior

Surface Forms

satin bird singular
satin birds plural

Morphology

satin + bird

The noun phrase combines 'satin' (lustrous, shiny) as an attributive modifier with 'bird,' so a learner who knows both words can infer a bird with a satin-like glossy appearance. This modifier+noun composition is a regular, cross-linguistic pattern for naming animals by salient properties, making the meaning directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Satin bird may come from the shiny look of the male's feathers. People thought the feathers looked like satin cloth, so the name satin bird came to mean this glossy Australian bird.