Sheathbill

Sheathbill
Sheathbill Sheath"bill`, n. (Zo["o]l.) Either one of two species of birds composing the genus {Chionis}, and family {Chionid[ae]}, native of the islands of the Antarctic seas. [1913 Webster]

Note: They are related to the gulls and the plovers, but more nearly to the latter. The base of the bill is covered with a saddle-shaped horny sheath, and the toes are only slightly webbed. The plumage of both species is white. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • sheathbill — [shēth′bil΄] n. any of a family (Chionidae) of white plumed antarctic shorebirds distinguished by a horny, saddlelike sheath at the base of the upper bill …   English World dictionary

  • Sheathbill — Sheathbills A Snowy Sheathbill (C. albus) Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia …   Wikipedia

  • sheathbill — /sheeth bil /, n. 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. [1775 85; SHEATH + BILL2] * * * ▪ bird Sy Montgomery… …   Universalium

  • sheathbill — makščiasnapiai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Chionis angl. sheathbill vok. Scheidenschnabel, f rus. белая ржанка, f pranc. chionis, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – makščiasnapiniai siauresnis terminas – baltasis… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • Sheathbill Bay — (coord|53|59|S|37|26|W|) is a small bay just north of Rosita Harbor (the features being separated by a small cove) along the north coast of South Georgia. So named by United Kingdom Antarctic Place Names Committee (UK APC) because the bay is… …   Wikipedia

  • sheathbill — noun Date: circa 1781 either of two white shorebirds (Chionis alba and C. minor of the family Chionididae) of colder parts of the southern hemisphere that have a horny sheath over the base of the upper mandible and suggest the pigeons in general… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sheathbill — noun /ˈʃiːɵ.bɪl/lang=en Either of two species of scavenging birds in the family Chionididae which breed only on the Antarctic Peninsula and subantarctic islands …   Wiktionary

  • sheathbill — noun a mainly white pigeon like bird of subantarctic islands, with a horny sheath around the base of the bill. [Genus Chionis.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • sheathbill — sheath•bill [[t]ˈʃiθˌbɪl[/t]] n. orn either of two white, pigeonlike shorebirds, Chionis alba or C. minor, of the Antarctic, having a horny sheath covering the base of the short bill • Etymology: 1775–85 …   From formal English to slang

  • sheathbill — /ˈʃiθbɪl/ (say sheethbil) noun either of two seabirds with white plumage, Chionis alba and C. minor, of the colder parts of the Southern Hemisphere, so called from the horny case which partly sheathes the bill. {sheath + bill2} …  

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