perching bird

American  

noun

1. any member of the avian order Passeriformes.

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Etymology

Origin of perching bird

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

In 2012, evolutionary biologist Catherine Sheard started an ambitious Ph.D. project: measuring the shape of every kind of passerine, or perching bird, in the world.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 16, 2022

"There is," says Dr. Woodward, "a typical bird's 'merrythought' between the wings, and the hind leg is exactly that of a perching bird."

From The Story of Evolution by McCabe, Joseph

The Cuckoo-Shrike is not a Pigeon, but is a perching bird; nor is it a Jay, which is a Northern Hemisphere bird, a member of the Crow family.

From An Australian Bird Book A Pocket Book for Field Use by Leach, John Albert

It is difficult of definition, but almost any small perching bird may, with more or less certainty, be referred to the Passeres.

From Color Key to North American Birds with bibiographical appendix by Chapman, Frank M.

She perched on the stile as light as a perching bird, and drew her lithe figure on one side to make room for Paul.

From Despair's Last Journey by Murray, David Christie