Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

elaenia

 - 2 dictionary results

e⋅lae⋅ni⋅a

[i-lee-nee-uh]
–noun
any of numerous tropical American flycatchers of the genus Elaenia, having short crests and small bills.

Origin:
< NL (1835), orig. Elaïnia < Gk elaïnéa, fem. of elaḯneos pertaining to the olive, deriv. of elaía olive; so named from the birds' color
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To elaenia
Encyclopedia

elaenia

(genus Elaenia), any of about 20 species of plain-coloured New World flycatchers, family Tyrannidae (order Passeriformes), with a short bill and modest, ragged crest, usually concealing a white or yellow crown patch. Found in Central America, South America, and the West Indies, most species are olive above and have yellowish underparts. Field identification of species must often be based on distinctive vocal patterns. Some taxonomists place the yellow-crowned species in the genus Myiopagis.

Learn more about elaenia with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see elaenia on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: