Colorful Descriptions for Common Birds
June 04, 2011
By Steve Grinley

     In a prior column, I shared with you a list of venereal terms for groups of birds such as a “charm of goldfinches” or a “murder of crows”. One of the birding listserves also had some lists of “fun” descriptions for birds. I thought that I would share some of my favorites with you again today:

A hood of Robins

A litter of Catbirds

A ridicule of Mockingbirds

A nebula of Starlings

An alphabet of Jays

A maniac of Ravens

A garagesale of Juncos

A w.c. fielding of Chickadees

A frankincense of Murres

A suite of Bitterns

An album of Rock Wrens

An outfield of Flycatchers

A tankful of Petrels

A Ulysses of Brant

An 8×10 of Glossy Ibis.

A shishkebab of Skuas

A coronation of Emperor Geese

A drift of Snow Geese

A timber of Wood Ducks

A wave of Surf Scoters

A brass of Horned Grebes

A triangle of Bermuda Petrels

A tart of American Bitterns

An illusion of Merlins

An hilarity of Laughing Gulls

An applause of Clapper Rails

A dune of Sandhill Cranes

A haze of Purple Sandpipers

A ladle of Spoonbills

A mint of Franklin’s Gulls

A glimmer of Northern Flickers

An oxymoron of Greater Pewees

tickle of Ivory Gulls

A dagwood of Sandwich Terns

A workshop of Elf Owls

A pilot of Palm Warblers

A range of Ovenbirds

A tinkling of Bell’s Vireos

A hangover of Red-eyed Vireos

A derby of Kentucky Warblers

A fifth of Wild Turkeys

A tanning of Bronzed Cowbirds

A lamentation of Mourning Warblers

A lettering of Scarlet Tanagers

An oxidation of Rusty Blackbirds

A chain of Bobolinks

A paddling of Red-tails.

And last but not least: An asylum of Common Loons

Steve Grinley
Bird Watcher’s Supply & Gift
Route 1 Traffic Circle
194 Route 1
Newburyport, MA 01950
BirdWSG@Comcast.net 
978-462-0775 
www.birdwatcherssupplyandgift.com 
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