rainbird

[ reyn-burd ]

noun

1. any of several birds, especially the black-billed cuckoo ( Coccyzus erythropthalmus ) and the yellow-billed cuckoo ( C. americanus ), that are said to call frequently before a rainstorm.

rainbird

/ ˈreɪnˌbɜːd /

noun

1. any of various birds, such as (in Britain) the green woodpecker, whose cry is supposed to portend rain

Word History and Origins

Origin of rainbird¹

First recorded in 1910–15; rain + bird

Example Sentences

Rainbird is a local name for the green woodpecker, but as an East-Anglian name it is most likely an imitative form of Fr.

From Project Gutenberg

Robin Redforth was united, with similar ceremonies, to Alice Rainbird.

From Project Gutenberg