cahow

[kuh-hou]

noun

1. a rare petrel, Pterodroma cahow, of islets off Bermuda, until recently thought to have become extinct.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cahow¹

First recorded in 1605–15; imitative

Example Sentences

Thanks to people keeping an eye on the live feed, researchers learned about a flatworm that invaded a cahow nest one year.

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Because the Cahow Recovery Program has been such a success, conservationists around the world are implementing similar programs to save a variety of birds.

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Over the past two decades, Madeiros has dedicated his career to conserving the Bermuda cahow—the archipelago’s national bird, which doesn’t exist anywhere else on the planet.

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Historical records show that the Spanish mistook the harsh cries of the cahow for demons and the souls of shipwrecked sailors, and this kept them from settling the island.

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However, they brought with them hogs that preyed on the cahow.

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