game bird

American  

noun

1. any bird hunted chiefly for sport, as a quail or pheasant, especially such a bird that is protected by game laws.

---

game bird British  

noun

1. a bird of any species hunted as game

---

Etymology

Origin of game bird

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland used cage-type traps baited with venison and quail - a small game bird - to capture the cats.

From BBC • May 16, 2025

The findings suggest that the iconic game bird could be maintained in persistent numbers if appropriate protections are implemented.

From Science Daily • Oct. 4, 2023

The prosecution originally charged him with three counts, but the third count — leaving a game bird in his possession to go to waste through carelessness and neglect — was dismissed, according to court documents.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2023

And the ruffed grouse, the official state game bird in Pennsylvania and one that is popular with hunters, could lose its entire summer and winter ranges in the state, the study found.

From New York Times • Oct. 10, 2019

Color—Male—The male of the Mongolian pheasant can not be confounded with any other game bird in America.

From Game Birds and Game Fishes of the Pacific Coast by Payne, Harry Thom