dun divern.
/ˈdʌn dʌɪvə/, U.S. /ˈdən ˌdaɪvər/ 1. The female, juvenile, and non-breeding male of the goosander ( Mergus merganser) and red-breasted merganser ( Mergus serrator), which have a reddish-brown head and grey body. Now historical.Now only in lists of alternative names for either bird.
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the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > genus Mergus (merganser) > mergus merganser (goosander) > male
dun diver1678
the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > genus Mergus (merganser) > mergus merganser (goosander) > female
dun diver1678
sparling-fowl1678
sparling-fisher1700
1678 J. Ray tr. F. Willughby Ornithol. 333 The Dun-Diver or Sparlin-fowl, Merganser fœmina.
1766 T. Pennant Brit. Zool. ii. 147 The dun Diver, or female [goosander], is less than the male.
1786 tr. J. R. Forster Hist. Voy. & Discov. North 408 He found there..a vast quantity of sea-fowl, such as gulls, dun divers [Errata: dumdivers], &c. &c.
1829 C. Darwin Let. 26 Feb. in Corr. (1985) I. 76 I shot whilst in Shrewsbury a Dundiver, (female Goosander as I suppose you know).
1862 Bell's Life in London 30 Mar. 2/2 For sale,..dun divers at 7s a pair.
1922 Scotsman 30 Sept. 8/8 In its earlier and more sombre plumage, it [sc. the goosander] is often called the Dun-Diver.
2004 North Devon Jrnl. (Nexis) 8 Apr. 48 Old names include Sawbill, Sawyer, Sawneb, Jack Saw, and Pied Wigeon; females being called Dun Diver, Harle, Spear Duck and Land Cormorant, names also associated with the red-breasted merganser.
2. U.S. The ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis. Now rare.
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the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > erismatura rubida (ruddy duck)
pintail1674
saltwater or brown diving teal1678
ruddy goose1785
ruddy duck1800
dun diver1844
stick-tail1844
pin-tailed duck1851
ruddy1877
rudder duck1884
fool duck1888
hardhead1888
paddy1888
paddywhack1888
steel-head1888
hardhead1893
rudder bird1894
1844 J. E. De Kay Zool. N.-Y. ii. 327 The Ruddy Duck. Fuligula Rubida... The Dun-bird, Looby or Dun Diver, is rather rare on the coast of this State.
1939 L. Sands Bird, Gun & Dog 325 Ruddy Duck (Erismatura jamaicensis rubida) Other names: Spike-tail. Booby. Spine-tailed Duck. Salt Water Teal. Dun Diver. [etc.]
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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