waterfowl
waterfowl — noun
- waterfowlsingular
- waterfowlsplural
1. a bird that lives near and can swim in rivers, lakes, or other freshwater areas—
a bird that lives near and can swim in rivers, lakes, or other freshwater areas—many types of waterfowl are hunted for their meat or as a sport
Each autumn, Tamás and his father hunt waterfowl near a large lake outside town.
collocation: hunt waterfowl
The ornithologist spotted several species of waterfowl, including ducks and geese, at the wetlands.
collocation: species of waterfowl
Stephanie took her binoculars to the reserve to watch waterfowl swimming on the pond.
Faisal's biology class went to the lake to identify types of waterfowl in their habitat.
Migrating waterfowl stop at the reservoir each spring to rest and feed before continuing north.
- water bird
broader term that includes seabirds and shorebirds, not just freshwater swimmers
- wildfowl
chiefly British English, with a stronger focus on game birds hunted for sport
- aquatic bird
more scientific register, covering any bird living in or near water environments
用法筆記
Commonly used as a plural noun with the same form as the singular: one waterfowl, many waterfowl. For referring to different species, the form waterfowls is also found in scientific writing.