Mother Carey's chicken

American  

[kair-eez] / ˈkɛər iz /

noun

1. any of various small petrels, especially the stormy petrel, Oceanites oceanicus.

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Mother Carey's chicken British  

/ ˈkɛərɪz /

noun

1. another name for storm petrel

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Etymology

Origin of Mother Carey's chicken

First recorded in 1760–70; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

The Stormy Petrel is, under the name of Mother Carey's Chicken, the terror of the sailor, who always considers the bird as the precursor of a storm.

From Project Gutenberg

The Spaniard was hardly a mile to windward, a long, low, rakish craft, as black as a Mother Carey’s chicken.

From Project Gutenberg

Even the birds had left them, all save that strange mysterious creature that is ever seen wheeling around ships sailing over the broad Atlantic, or crossing the northern seas, and which naturalists call the stormy petrel, and mariners Mother Carey’s chicken.

From Project Gutenberg

The Stormy Petrel or Mother Carey's Chicken, is a small black bird well known to mariners, and familiar to all at sea in stormy weather.

From Project Gutenberg

I can repeat something, in the fairy-tale style, which was told me by Mother Carey's chicken, when we were waiting for the nestling to grow strong enough for us to make our journey.

From Project Gutenberg