crow blackbird
- any of several North American grackles, especially purple grackles of the genus Quiscalus.
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Origin of crow blackbird
An Americanism dating back to 1770–80
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for crow blackbird
Historical Examples
The crow-blackbird has all the natural cunning of his prototype, the crow.
Wake-RobinJohn Burroughs
Among the first birds that make their appearance in Washington, is the crow-blackbird.
Wake-RobinJohn Burroughs
The crow-blackbird, seized with a fit of indolence, drops its eggs in the cavity of a decayed branch.
Wake-RobinJohn Burroughs
The crow fights the hawk, and the king-bird and crow-blackbird fight the crow; but neither takes any notice of the buzzard.
Wake-RobinJohn Burroughs
Looking up, they beheld a crow-blackbird pausing in mid-air, a few feet from the window.
Wake-RobinJohn Burroughs
crow blackbird
- another name for grackle
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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