matatan.
/məˈtɑːtə/, U.S. /məˈtɑdə/, New Zealand English /mʌːˈtʌːtʌː/, /məˈtʌːdə/ New Zealand.
The fernbird, Megalurus punctatus (family Sylviidae), a secretive songbird with dark streaked plumage, found only in New Zealand.
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the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > family Muscicapidae (thrushes, etc.) > subfamily Sylviidae (warbler) > [noun] > bowdleria punctata (fern-bird)
swamp sparrow1811
matata1835
fern-bird1882
1835 W. Yate Acct. N.Z. (ed. 2) ii. 60 Matata—A small dusky-coloured bird, with a white and brown spotted breast.
1863 A. S. Atkinson Jrnl. 29 Sept. in Richmond–Atkinson Papers (1960) II. 64 The korimakos in the bush and the larks and matatas in the open about us.
1882 W. L. Buller Man. Birds N.Z. 17 Sphenocacus punctatus. Quoy and Gaim. Fern-bird. Utick. Matata.
1966 R. A. Falla et al. Field Guide Birds N.Z. 205 Fernbird. Bowdleria punctata. Other names: Matata, Tataki Thrush.
1985 Reader's Digest Compl. Bk. N.Z. Birds 274 Fernbird Bowdleria punctata... Swamp thrush, grass bird, matata.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1835