Found 1 items, similar to Chordeiles minor.
English → English (gcide)
Definition: Chordeiles minor
nighthawk
\nighthawk\ n.
1. A person who likes to be active late at night; a
night owl
.
Syn: night owl, nightbird.
[WordNet 1.5]
2. (Zo["o]l.) Any of several mainly nocturnal North American
goatsuckers, especially
Chordeiles minor, or the related
European goatsucker
Caprimulgus europaeus, also called
the nightjar.
Syn: bullbat, mosquito hawk.
[WordNet 1.5]
Caprimulgidae
\Caprimulgidae\ n. [L. capris goat + mulgere to
milk.]
a widely distributed natural family of nocturnally active
birds including the
whip-poor-will (
Caprimulgus vociferus
), the
chuck-will's-widow (
Caprimulgus carolinensis
), and the
common nighthawk (
Chordeiles minor
); -- called popularly the
goatsuckers or
nightjars. The nighthawks are sometimes active during the
day.
Syn: goatsuckers, nightjars, family
Caprimulgidae.
[PJC]
The family . . . is alternately known as the
nightjars (derived from the
“churring” sounds of
several species --
“jarring” the night air), or
goatsuckers, a nonsense name that should be
discontinued as it has its origin in the
preposterous myth that the birds sucked the milk
of nanny goats until they were dry. --Terence
Michael Short
(Wild Birds of
the Americas)