grass finch

American  

Or grassfinch

noun

1. any of several Australian weaverbirds, especially of the genus Poephila.

2. the vesper sparrow.

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Etymology

Origin of grass finch

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grass finch

How welcome, too, were the hearty music of the robin and the carol of the grass finch!

From The Foot-path Way by Bradford Torrey

Wilson, I believe, calls him the grass finch, and was evidently unacquainted with his powers of song.

From Wake-Robin by John Burroughs

I believe the bird was called the grass finch by our earlier writers.

From Under the Maples by John Burroughs

And the young junco shows, in its striped appearance of breast and back, and the20 lateral white quills in the tail, its kinship to the grass finch or vesper sparrow.

From Under the Maples by John Burroughs

In one of the stumpy fields I saw an old favorite in the grass finch or vesper swallow.

From Wake-Robin by John Burroughs