rifle bird
or ri·fle·bird
noun
any of several birds of paradise of Australia, having a long bill, dark plumage, and elaborate courtship displays.
Origin of rifle bird
1First recorded in 1825–35
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for riflebird
riflebird
/ (ˈraɪfəlˌbɜːd) /
noun
any of various birds of paradise of the genera Ptiloris and Craspedophora, such as C. magnifica (magnificent riflebird)
Origin of riflebird
1from its call, compared to a whistling bullet
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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