Adjacent Words

spoonbill definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: wading birds having a long flat bill with a tip like a spoon

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: circa 1678 1. any of several wading birds (family Threskiornithidae) related to the ibises that have an expanded bill that is flattened and rounded at the tip 2. any of several broad-billed ducks (as the shoveler)

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 any large wading bird of the subfamily Plataleidae, having a bill with a very broad flat tip. 2 a shoveller duck.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ruddy Rud"dy, a. [Compar. Ruddier; superl. Ruddiest.] [AS. rudig. See Rud, n.] 1. Of a red color; red, or reddish; as, a ruddy sky; a ruddy flame. --Milton. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. --Lam. iv. 7. 2. Of a lively flesh color, or the color of the human skin in high health; as, ruddy cheeks or lips. --Dryden. Ruddy duck (Zo["o]l.), an American duck (Erismatura rubida) having a broad bill and a wedge-shaped tail composed of stiff, sharp feathers. The adult male is rich brownish red on the back, sides, and neck, black on the top of the head, nape, wings, and tail, and white on the cheeks. The female and young male are dull brown mixed with blackish on the back; grayish below. Called also dunbird, dundiver, ruddy diver, stifftail, spinetail, hardhead, sleepy duck, fool duck, spoonbill, etc. Ruddy plover (Zo["o]l.) the sanderling.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Shoveler Shov"el*er, n. [Also shoveller.] 1. One who, or that which, shovels. 2. (Zo["o]l.) A river duck (Spatula clypeata), native of Europe and America. It has a large bill, broadest towards the tip. The male is handsomely variegated with green, blue, brown, black, and white on the body; the head and neck are dark green. Called also broadbill, spoonbill, shovelbill, and maiden duck. The Australian shoveler, or shovel-nosed duck (S. rhynchotis), is a similar species.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Spoonbill Spoon"bill`, n. (Zo["o]l.) (a) Any one of several species of wading birds of the genera Ajaja and Platalea, and allied genera, in which the long bill is broadly expanded and flattened at the tip. Note: The roseate spoonbill of America (Ajaja ajaja), and the European spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) are the best known. The royal spoonbill (P. regia) of Australia is white, with the skin in front of the eyes naked and black. The male in the breeding season has a fine crest. (b) The shoveler. See Shoveler, 2. (c) The ruddy duck. See under Ruddy. (d) The paddlefish.