noun
bobwhite
BAHB-WHITE/ˈbɑbˈwaɪt/
A small North American quail with a whistled call.
A bobwhite whistles from the brush beside the open field.
Etymology
Bobwhite was coined to imitate the quail’s cry. Its distinctive whistle supplies the name, turning a recognizable sound into a label for the bird.
In context
The wild quail, wild bobwhite is um a historically valuable game bird, and we often call them the canary of the prairie.
More examples
- The covey of bobwhites scatters into the grass.
- The observer recognizes the bobwhite's clear call.
- A bobwhite searches the ground for seeds.
Forms
bobwhite · bobwhites
Similar words
- quail
- The broader bird group that includes bobwhites.