sheathbill

[ sheeth-bil ]

noun

1. either of two white sea birds, Chionis alba or C. minor, of the colder parts of the Southern Hemisphere: so called from the horny sheath covering the base of the upper bill.

sheathbill

/ ˈʃiːθˌbɪl /

noun

1. either of two pigeon-like shore birds, Chionis alba or C. minor, of antarctic and subantarctic regions, constituting the family Chionididae: order Charadriiformes. They have a white plumage and a horny sheath at the base of the bill

Word History and Origins

Origin of sheathbill¹

First recorded in 1775–85; sheath + bill ²

Example Sentences

Here I found two pairs of the sheathbill (Chionis alba) a bird whose place in the system has puzzled ornithologists.

From Project Gutenberg