wildfowl

American  

[wahyld-foul] / ˈwaɪldˌfaʊl /

noun

1. a game bird, especially a wild duck, goose, or swan.

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wildfowl British  

/ ˈwaɪldˌfaʊl /

noun

1. any bird that is hunted by man, esp any duck or similar aquatic bird

2. such birds collectively

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Other Word Forms

• wildfowler noun
• wildfowling adjective

Etymology

Origin of wildfowl

before 1000; Middle English wilde foul, Old English wildefugl. See wild, fowl

Example Sentences

Although the fox would attack the wildfowl on land, they are unable to do so once in the water.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

The 64-year-old has a particular penchant for wildfowl shooting in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

Jim Edwards told the Toronto paper that his father had 20/20 eyesight and had been a crack marksman as a youth when he used to shoot duck and other wildfowl on the prairies of Saskatchewan.

From Washington Post • May 21, 2022

Higher concentrations of certain nitrogen isotopes are a sign of a diet rich in animals that have a relatively high place in the food web — such as wildfowl and freshwater fish.

From Scientific American • Aug. 18, 2014

We propose in this chapter to describe the somewhat indifferent sport of a wet winter, even in a good locality, together with its effect on the habits and distribution of wildfowl.

From Wild Spain (Espa?a agreste) Records of Sport with Rifle, Rod, and Gun, Natural History Exploration by Buck, Walter J.