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sheathbill

[ sheeth-bil ]

noun

  1. either of two white sea birds, Chionis alba or C. minor, of the colder parts of the Southern Hemisphere: so called from the horny sheath covering the base of the upper bill.

sheathbill

/ ˈʃiːθˌbɪl /

noun

  1. either of two pigeon-like shore birds, Chionis alba or C. minor, of antarctic and subantarctic regions, constituting the family Chionididae: order Charadriiformes. They have a white plumage and a horny sheath at the base of the bill

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Word History and Origins

Origin of sheathbill1

First recorded in 1775–85; sheath + bill 2

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Example Sentences

Here I found two pairs of the sheathbill (Chionis alba) a bird whose place in the system has puzzled ornithologists.

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sheathsheathe

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