birdbird /bɜːd $ bɜːrd/ ●●● S2 W2 noun [countable] 
wild birds The dawn was filled with the sound of birds. a flock of birds (=a group of birds flying together) a wooden bird cage2 British English informal not polite a word meaning a young woman, which some people think is offensive3the birds and the bees the facts about sex – used humorously or to children4a little bird told me (something) informal used to say that you know something, but you will not say how you found out: A little bird told me that you’ve got engaged.5birds of a feather (flock together) informal used to say that two or more people have similar attitudes, beliefs etc6give somebody the bird a)American English informal to make a very rude sign at someone by holding your middle finger up b)British English to show strong disapproval of someone who is performing or speaking in public, by shouting, making rude noises etc7a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush) used to say that it is better to keep what you have than to risk losing it by trying to get more8the bird has flown informal used to say that the person you are looking for has already left or escaped9be (strictly) for the birds old-fashioned informal to be silly, useless, or not practical10 wise/wily/funny/weird etc old bird old-fashioned informal a person who seems wise, funny etc11do bird British English old-fashioned informal to serve a prison sentence SYN do time → early bird at early1(9), → kill two birds with one stone at kill1(13)COLLOCATIONStypes of birda wild bird· Our organization aims to protect wild birds.a bird of prey (=that hunts and eats small animals)· A single bird of prey hovered overhead.a game bird (=that people shoot and eat)· They hunt game birds such as ducks and pheasants.a seabird/sea bird· Sea birds are often the victims of oil spills.a songbird (=that makes pleasant sounds in order to attract other birds)· Hedges provide good protection for songbirds.a migratory bird (=that moves to different regions for the summer and winter)· This route is taken by many migratory birds going south.a flightless bird (=that cannot fly)· The emu is a large flightless Australian bird.phrasesa flock of birds (=a large number of birds together)· Suddenly a flock of birds flew up into the sky.bird + NOUNbird song (=musical sounds that birds make)· The forest is full of bird song at all times of the year.bird watching (=the activity of watching wild birds)· One of his hobbies is bird watching.a bird watcher· The coast path is a paradise for bird watchers.verbsa bird flies· Some birds fly incredible distances.a bird soars (=flies very high in the sky)· We watched birds soar in the blue sky above.a bird swoops down (=it suddenly flies down)· The bird swoops down on its prey.a bird flaps its wings (=it moves its wings up and down)· The baby birds were trying to flap their wings.a bird sings (=makes musical sounds)· I woke up to hear the birds singing outside.a bird chirps/twitters (=makes short high sounds)· Birds chirped to one another from different branches of the tree.a bird squawks (=makes a loud unpleasant sound)· The bird in the cage started squawking.a bird builds a nest· By March many birds have already built nests.a bird nests· Many birds are nesting on the river banks.a bird lays its eggs· The bird lays a single egg on the ground.a bird pecks (at) something (=makes small movements with its head)· Some birds were pecking at the remains of a sandwich.a bird perches (=stands on a something above the ground)· Beautiful white birds perched on the tree's branches.a bird hops (=makes small jumping movements)· A small bird was hopping across the grass.a bird migrates· The birds migrate from South America to North American breeding grounds.
WORD ORIGINbird
Origin:
Old English briddEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- He's a strange old bird.
- The tree was full of tiny, brightly colored birds.
- A small party of bird watchers rounded a bend in the path fifty yards away and I beckoned them to hurry.
- Animals, birds, insects, people were all pulled into the joke of life.
- Brood parasitic birds are becoming favoured examples in studies of coevolution.
- Fortunately most birds were not shy, in fact many were ridiculously tame.
- Ron Deacon is adoptive father to five love bird chicks, who need constant care and attention.
- The feed is examined carefully, and at the slaughterhouse any bird with an appearance of disease is discarded.
WORD SETS
auk, nounbald eagle, nounbeak, nounbill, nounbird, nounbirdie, nounbird of paradise, nounbird of passage, nounbird of prey, nounbirdsong, nounblackbird, nounbluebird, nounbluejay, nounbobwhite, nounbreast, nounbuzzard, nouncackle, verbchick, nounclaw, nouncob, nouncock, nouncockerel, nouncockscomb, nouncolouring, nouncondor, nouncoo, verbcoot, nouncormorant, nouncorncrake, nouncrane, nouncrest, nouncrested, adjectivecrop, nouncrow, nouncrow, verbcuckoo, nouncurlew, nouncygnet, noundickybird, noundipper, noundive, verbdodo, noundove, noundown, nounduck, nounduckling, nouneagle, nouneaglet, nounegret, nounemu, nounfeather, nounflamingo, nounfledgling, nounflight, nounfly, verbflycatcher, nounfowl, noungander, noungannet, noungizzard, noungobble, verbgobbler, noungolden eagle, noungoldfinch, noungoose, noungrebe, noungrouse, nounguillemot, nounguinea fowl, nounhackles, nounhatch, verbhawk, nounheron, nounhonk, nounhonk, verbhoot, nounhoot, verbhornbill, nounhouse martin, nounhumming bird, nounincubate, verbjackdaw, nounjay, nounkestrel, nounkingfisher, nounkite, nounkiwi, nounlark, nounlay, verblinnet, nounloon, nounlovebird, nounmacaw, nounmagpie, nounmallard, nounmarabou, nounmartin, nounmeadowlark, nounmigrant, nounmockingbird, nounmoorhen, nounmoult, verbmynah bird, nounnest, nounnest, verbnestling, nounnightingale, nounoriole, nounornithologist, nounornithology, nounosprey, nounostrich, nounowl, nounowlet, nounparakeet, nounparrot, nounpartridge, nounpeacock, nounpeafowl, nounpeahen, nounpeck, verbpeck, nounpeewit, nounpelican, nounpenguin, nounperch, nounperch, verbperegrine falcon, nounpetrel, nounpipit, nounplover, nounplumage, nounplume, verbpullet, nounquail, nounquill, nounraven, nounroadrunner, nounrobin, nounrook, nounroost, nounroost, verbrooster, nounruff, nounsandpiper, nounseabird, nounseagull, nounshag, nounsing, verbskylark, nounsnipe, nounsong, nounsongbird, nounsongster, nounsparrow, nounstarling, nounswallow, nounswan, nounswift, nounswoop, verbtalon, nounteal, nountern, nounthrush, nountit, nountoucan, nountrill, nounturkey, nounturtledove, nountwitter, verbvulture, nounwader, nounwagtail, nounwarble, verbwarbler, nounwater bird, nounwaterfowl, nounwebbed, adjectiveweb-footed, adjectivewhistle, verbwing, nounwinged, adjectivewingspan, nounwingtip, nounwishbone, nounwren, nounyellowhammer, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYtypes of bird The park is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the US. Fifteen thousand bird watchers visit annually. Industry-watchers hailed the takeover as a triumph.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· Our organization aims to protect wild birds.
(=that hunts and eats small animals)· A single bird of prey hovered overhead.
(=that people shoot and eat)· They hunt game birds such as ducks and pheasants.
· Sea birds are often the victims of oil spills.
(=that makes pleasant sounds in order to attract other birds)· Hedges provide good protection for songbirds.
(=that moves to different regions for the summer and winter)· This route is taken by many migratory birds going south.
(=that cannot fly)· The emu is a large flightless Australian bird.
phrases (=a large number of birds together)· Suddenly a flock of birds flew up into the sky.
bird + NOUN (=musical sounds that birds make)· The forest is full of bird song at all times of the year.
(=the activity of watching wild birds)· One of his hobbies is bird watching.
· The coast path is a paradise for bird watchers.
verbs· Some birds fly incredible distances.
(=flies very high in the sky)· We watched birds soar in the blue sky above.
(=it suddenly flies down)· The bird swoops down on its prey.
(=it moves its wings up and down)· The baby birds were trying to flap their wings.
(=makes musical sounds)· I woke up to hear the birds singing outside.
(=makes short high sounds)· Birds chirped to one another from different branches of the tree.
(=makes a loud unpleasant sound)· The bird in the cage started squawking.
· By March many birds have already built nests.
· Many birds are nesting on the river banks.
· The bird lays a single egg on the ground.
(=makes small movements with its head)· Some birds were pecking at the remains of a sandwich.
(=stands on a something above the ground)· Beautiful white birds perched on the tree's branches.
(=makes small jumping movements)· A small bird was hopping across the grass.
· The birds migrate from South America to North American breeding grounds.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=eat very little)· Ever since she was a child, Jan had always eaten like a bird.
(=an animal that is a mother)
· an abandoned bird's nest
The park is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the US.· You can see many different bird species on the canal.
(=a view from high above something)· The top of the bell tower in the square gives a bird’s-eye view of Venice.
Fifteen thousand bird watchers visit annually. Industry-watchers hailed the takeover as a triumph.· There would be no room for the birds to fly, and dead birds would fall on me as I walked.· Paw prints everywhere, upturned vases and dead birds the leftovers from the buffet.· After that we found more dead birds, their beauty still unspoiled.· No dead birds in the larder in springtime.· The whole place looks dead and deserted, a ruin fit only for the dead and carrion birds ... ... and so on.· No dead birds fell from the trees.
· Large cattails swayed under the weight of a few early birds.· Politicians seem to work on the assumption that the early bird catches the voter.· He's one of those early birds.· You have time to digest the unexpected worm, as they say about early birds!· Every early bird is after them, and a mole can eat twice its weight in worms every day.· He was always an early bird, was Jack.
· All my work has been involved with estates where game birds were the prime consideration.· Shopping for Quail Quail, one of the most widely available of all game birds, are stocked in many poultry departments.· Some of these may be used in combination when grilling meat or game birds.· It is one of the few game birds where the flavor does not vary substantially between the wild and farm-raised fowl.· Like all other game birds, quail need to be cooked carefully to avoid overcooking, as the flesh can dry out.· They are, however, slightly more forgiving than squab and other game birds to overcooking.· Pickling is a very old technique that was used to preserve game birds before refrigeration was widely available.· Similar accomplishments can be found in the raising of many almost-extinct species of game birds, such as wild turkey.
· A large bird was riding the air currents below him, and he decided it must be an eagle.· Although with such a large number of birds, it's difficult to grow a particular affection for individuals.· They are largest in polyandrous birds, where several males fertilize one female, and it is not hard to see why.· Meanwhile, the larger birds of prey were tucking into things like mice, rats, chicks and rabbits.· The thing she carried in her arms was a large white bird, and it was quite still.· If a larger bird is low in the queue, why does it not displace the bird at the head?· A large bird may require up to three days for thawing.
· It is a remarkable little bird in many respects, being superbly adapted to the unpredictability of a semi-desert environment.· They were just like little birds chirping out whatever words oldest sister fed them.· Mould a little bird for the top of the hutch, if liked, from brown fondant trimmings.· Just like a little tweety bird!· They look like jittery, hysterical little birds crowded together on a power line.· Little by little the bird builds its nest.· A reliable little bird tells this column that Frank may not be long for this world either.· To our surprise the little bird was still with us.
· This has profound implications for our understanding of the evolution of sexually monomorphic ornaments in many other bird species.· One or two other species of bird have developed a much more accurate technique of finding their way in the dark.· Protect crops from pigeons and other birds with netting.· What other birds breed on Spurn?· The court was told that a stuffed golden eagle could be worth £1,000 and the other birds could fetch £160 each.· Two other tame birds on the same farm have already produced chicks which are now living in this barn.· In winter it is given over to turnstones, purple sandpiper, oystercatchers and other shellfish-eating birds.· But there were other birds too.
· We missed out on some of the rare birds.· But, given that penguins are relatively rare birds, that turned out to be prohibitively expensive.· As the Gypsey Race meanders through the estate it encourages and supports much wildlife and some quite rare birds.· During the nineteenth century it retreated west of the Mississippi, and by 1880 was a rare bird everywhere.· At the Cotswold Wildlife Park devices are fitted to their rare birds which are housed in large strengthened cages.· He is that rare bird, the night-owl who likes talking without the prop of a strong drink in his hands.· It is home to a number of rare birds and animals, including Grant's Bush Baby.· She is a fairly rare bird.
· All he wanted was a belly-full of berries and a chance to bully the small birds.· Quite the contrary. Small birds fell at my feet wherever, in my clumsy fashion, I trod.· Many small birds travel at night when they are safe from attacks by hawks.· When roasting lean meats and small game birds, basting is essential to maintain moisture.· It was the bleached skull of a small bird.· Suddenly I saw a small olive bird fly past, and I chased after it.· Here I could inspect the nests of numerous smaller birds and their young.· The future for the tiny owl in Arizona is even smaller than the bird itself.
· The profits made by the sale of goods are ploughed back into wild bird conservation.· The meat of these wild birds is dark and rich compared to that of domestic ducks.· Two or three chicks surviving is about average for wild birds.· The second group represented wild birds transplanted from not far away.· They can even be frightened by wild birds flying overhead, which they mistakenly think are predators.· Culmination, the longed-for moment when a wild bird would cat from his hand or perch on his shoulder, never occurred.· The Qawrighul people hunted deer, wild sheep and birds, and fished.· Beautiful wild birds unfold their silver wings.
NOUN· A small land bird had taken refuge on the cabin roof during the gale.· One of the largest land birds of the region, showing much white on black-tipped wings in flight.· Of the 57 species of reptiles, land birds and mammals, more than 80 % live nowhere else.
· The planting has been sharply criticized by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds because of the effect on local bird life.· But more stunning than the sheer quantity of bird life is the apparent organization of these hunters of small fish.· The whole valley round St Nectan's Glen is teeming with bird life, a paradise for a young ornithologist.· Its rich pastures are cropped by semi-wild sheep and fertilised by the prolific bird life.· I was telling my own age group about something worthwhile: bird life and conservation.· The dank and dismal cliff faces were hanging with squabbling bird life.· The most immediate threat is to bird life.· Day 8 Lake Baringo Join the launch trip on the lake to see hippo, crocodile and bird life.
· It is used by fishermen and is designated a bird sanctuary.· Nearby is the Heritage Museum of local history and the Wildfowl Trust bird sanctuary.· Perhaps the only way of getting a picture would be to take one in a bird sanctuary.· Today, the site at Amchitka in the Aleutian Islands is a bird sanctuary.· A number of bird sanctuaries were seriously affected by the spill.· You can take a boat trip along the coast to Lundy Island, the famous bird sanctuary.· Read in studio Thieves have stolen seventeen rare parrots from a bird sanctuary.
· The forests are home to 12 % of the world's mammal species and almost a fifth of bird species.· More than 100 bird species and 35 mammal species have been identified at the park.· The Amazon rainforests alone are home to many unique animals and to one fifth of the world's bird species.· This has profound implications for our understanding of the evolution of sexually monomorphic ornaments in many other bird species.· About 1,000 bird species are deemed at risk of extinction, and 88 of those are parrots.· Individuals of many bird species give alarm calls when they spot a dangerous predator.· Fewer than 50 bird species are polyandrous.· You can see many different bird species on the canal.
· A small party of bird watchers rounded a bend in the path fifty yards away and I beckoned them to hurry.· Rex was captivated by the sea in a way that others might be avid golf players or inveterate bird watchers.· Opened 20 years ago, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path is a paradise for walkers, bird watchers and nature lovers.· And bird watchers find quiet places to spot a heron or woodpecker.· I became a bird watcher in Orkney.· The disturbance and fear men with guns cause spoils the tranquillity of wild lonely places for both birds and bird watchers.· It's the early bird watcher that catches the best bird song.
· The ice breaks, scattering water birds.· In the north-west of the country, the Okavango River creates swaps which are inhabited by crocodiles, water birds and hippopotamuses.· Rafts and rafts of water birds floated in the flat sanded estuary.· Strangely enough, water birds are most abundant in the Dry Zone.· And now gaily plumed water birds began to appear on the rapidly swelling river.· The migrant water birds come to Kumana in April.
VERB· She caught a bird, plucked and cooked it, fed the meat to him in slivers.· Finally, the bird, while searching for the mouse, accidentally knocked over the woodpile, which caught fire.· It's the early bird watcher that catches the best bird song.· Sometimes I caught a bird, and cooked it, or picked leaves of plants to eat with my bread.· Specialists in catching smaller birds in woodland and scrub.
· Crouching low by the wall of the stables was a black cat, eating a bird whose wings were still twitching.· How to eat a small bird?· They also eat the eggs of birds and other reptiles.· As for the blueberries ready-sweetened to eat, the birds get all that remain before the end of August.· He once did a show on an Amazonian tarantula that occasionally eats birds.
· There would be no room for the birds to fly, and dead birds would fall on me as I walked.· So that's the way men fly like birds at night for military advantage.· I never fly the birds in bad weather, which means sometimes Dawn goes two weeks without a flight.· Most flying animals are not birds, but insects.· Every Tuesday her fat little fingers flew like birds up and down the keys of the piano.
· Vermin, he called them, when she protested at killing a sitting bird.· Lleland was obviously out to kill two birds with one stone.· Adding five examples to the chapters that at present lack them would kill two birds with one stone.· Wind farms also take up huge tracts of land and can kill birds caught in turbine blades.· It plans to issue general licences entitling landowners to kill unwanted birds on their property.· In trying to play matchmaker and kill two birds with one stone, I nearly annihilated three.· Perhaps this boy knows something about them, he thought ... Something has been killing rabbits and birds in the woods lately.· Thorpey said it'd kill two birds with one stone.
· Listening to the conversation, Trent watched three frigate birds sailing the on-shore breeze beyond the quay.· And as I think this, I watch the birds circling in the sky.· Looking up to the blue sky, she watched the many birds flying overhead, chattering and screaming as they passed out of sight.· She grew up watching birds on her father's farmstead, she explained.· Conradin watched the birds on the grass.· When he was supposed to be playing football he used to watch the parent birds taking stuff to the nest.· Signs posted along the narrow road that leads through sloping pastures to the cliff-framed beach warn motorists to watch out for birds.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush)► the bird has flown► a little bird told me (something)PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► early bird/early riser► the early bird catches the worm► bird-spotting/train-spotting etc
1a creature with wings and feathers that can usually fly. Many birds sing and build nests, and female birds lay eggs: - Anyway, opens first night - this mind-reader comes on - audience really gives him the bird.
- Holm oak and tamarisk withstand the wind and salt spray and give shelter to the birds.
- Would they, er, give it the bird.
- The Easter Fete was for the birds, Timothy Gedge said.
- I hadn't noticed what a weird old bird Ned was, either.
- Just so. Funny old bird.
- How do birds and fishes carry out their far-flung migrations, unless led by deities in their own image?
- So how do birds find their way?
- So, why do birds sing?
- For a lesson in the birds and the bees, turn to page 12.
- She was to be minister of love, chief of the Department of the Birds and the Bees.
- He figured I had a hustle of my own going and that made us birds of a feather.
- Deedee killed two birds with one stone, both shopping and looking for a shop of her own to rent.
- Adding five examples to the chapters that at present lack them would kill two birds with one stone.
- By promoting these new investors, Mr Alphandéry could kill two birds with one stone.
- In trying to play matchmaker and kill two birds with one stone, I nearly annihilated three.
- Lleland was obviously out to kill two birds with one stone.
- Thorpey said it'd kill two birds with one stone.
- Well, now we can kill two birds with one stone.
- But Men persecuted us and other birds of prey like us were poisoned, trapped and shot.
- In fact, the only bird of prey I ever saw hovering over the park was a kestrel.
- Many birds of prey regurgitate pellets which contain the indigestible remains of their prey, including much of the bone.
- Meanwhile, the larger birds of prey were tucking into things like mice, rats, chicks and rabbits.
- Most of Britain's birds of prey are only now recovering from this long persecution.
- On 24 January he identified six new species of birds of prey - two of which came from the Galapagos.
- The diurnal birds of prey and the mammalian predators consistently have the highest rates of mandibular and maxillary breakage.
- You will have to pass beasts, fierce beasts of prey, and they are all that you will see.
- Here is the story of one of them, Derek, the most unsuccessful train spotter in the world.
- I suppose we're all train spotters at heart.
- In Leicester a group of men got up like train spotters were very excited to see our coach.
- It's a bonus for the late train spotter.
- What a field day the train spotters had!
- Why are so many train spotters called Derek?
wild birds The dawn was filled with the sound of birds. a flock of birds (=a group of birds flying together) a wooden bird cage2 British English informal not polite a word meaning a young woman, which some people think is offensive3the birds and the bees the facts about sex – used humorously or to children4a little bird told me (something) informal used to say that you know something, but you will not say how you found out: A little bird told me that you’ve got engaged.5birds of a feather (flock together) informal used to say that two or more people have similar attitudes, beliefs etc6give somebody the bird a)American English informal to make a very rude sign at someone by holding your middle finger up b)British English to show strong disapproval of someone who is performing or speaking in public, by shouting, making rude noises etc7a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush) used to say that it is better to keep what you have than to risk losing it by trying to get more8the bird has flown informal used to say that the person you are looking for has already left or escaped9be (strictly) for the birds old-fashioned informal to be silly, useless, or not practical10 wise/wily/funny/weird etc old bird old-fashioned informal a person who seems wise, funny etc11do bird British English old-fashioned informal to serve a prison sentence SYN do time → early bird at early1(9), → kill two birds with one stone at kill1(13)COLLOCATIONStypes of birda wild bird· Our organization aims to protect wild birds.a bird of prey (=that hunts and eats small animals)· A single bird of prey hovered overhead.a game bird (=that people shoot and eat)· They hunt game birds such as ducks and pheasants.a seabird/sea bird· Sea birds are often the victims of oil spills.a songbird (=that makes pleasant sounds in order to attract other birds)· Hedges provide good protection for songbirds.a migratory bird (=that moves to different regions for the summer and winter)· This route is taken by many migratory birds going south.a flightless bird (=that cannot fly)· The emu is a large flightless Australian bird.phrasesa flock of birds (=a large number of birds together)· Suddenly a flock of birds flew up into the sky.bird + NOUNbird song (=musical sounds that birds make)· The forest is full of bird song at all times of the year.bird watching (=the activity of watching wild birds)· One of his hobbies is bird watching.a bird watcher· The coast path is a paradise for bird watchers.verbsa bird flies· Some birds fly incredible distances.a bird soars (=flies very high in the sky)· We watched birds soar in the blue sky above.a bird swoops down (=it suddenly flies down)· The bird swoops down on its prey.a bird flaps its wings (=it moves its wings up and down)· The baby birds were trying to flap their wings.a bird sings (=makes musical sounds)· I woke up to hear the birds singing outside.a bird chirps/twitters (=makes short high sounds)· Birds chirped to one another from different branches of the tree.a bird squawks (=makes a loud unpleasant sound)· The bird in the cage started squawking.a bird builds a nest· By March many birds have already built nests.a bird nests· Many birds are nesting on the river banks.a bird lays its eggs· The bird lays a single egg on the ground.a bird pecks (at) something (=makes small movements with its head)· Some birds were pecking at the remains of a sandwich.a bird perches (=stands on a something above the ground)· Beautiful white birds perched on the tree's branches.a bird hops (=makes small jumping movements)· A small bird was hopping across the grass.a bird migrates· The birds migrate from South America to North American breeding grounds.