sparrow hawk
- noun
- /ˈspɛroʊ hɔk/
- UK
:
gavilán
- The sparrow hawk soared high above the field, scanning for small birds to catch.
Examples
-
In the garden, a sparrow hawk perched quietly on a branch, waiting for its next meal.
-
Also known as sparrow hawks, these reddish-brown falcons eat insects, small rodents, and lizards.
Academic text (1996) -
As noted previously, these are the musical instruments of the three ancient dances that still exist today in this region: the dances of the reed, the sparrow hawk, and the tiger cat.
Academic text (2008) -
As the sparrow hawk flew by, it quickly snatched an unsuspecting insect from the air.
Synonyms
69
2.3
A bird with sharp eyes, short wings, and a long tail that hunts by day
9
3.8
A bird that hunts and eats other animals, like eagles or hawks
3
7.9
A small hunting bird with long wings and tail that hovers to catch small animals
1
5.1
A small bird with short wings and a long tail that hunts small birds in woods
A small hawk from Europe and northern Africa that hunts birds in trees
A small North American bird that hunts small animals with a reddish-brown back, blue-grey wings, and black face markings
A small bird of prey in North America often called the American kestrel
A small hunting bird that catches other birds like pigeons
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a small hawk' is directly and compositionally derived from combining 'sparrow' (a small bird) with 'hawk' (a bird of prey): the modifier specifies type/size/association, which is a common noun–noun compounding pattern. This is cross-linguistically regular and a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the general referent, even if exact species labels vary regionally.
Etymology
Sparrow hawk comes from the clear picture of a hawk that hunts sparrows and other small birds. That's why the name means 'a small hawk' that often catches small birds and insects.