Kittiwake

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small gull of northern regions characterized by black wing tips and a distinctive cry, commonly found nesting on coastal cliffs
2. A seabird belonging to the gull family, distinguished by dark-tipped wings and a harsh vocalization, inhabiting rocky coastal cliffs in arctic and subarctic regions
3. A northern oceanic gull notable for its black wing markings and loud, repeated calling sound, typically breeding in large colonies on seaside precipices

Etymology: The kittiwake is named for its own cry. The word was originally Scots, and it imitates the harsh, repeated call of the bird, a sound that most people hear first from a cliff-face colony rather than from a field guide. Imitative names of this kind are common among seabirds, since their calls carry over water and are often the easiest thing to recognize them by. The bird it names is a gull, though one that has adapted to life on sheer rock. Its dark-tipped wings and short legs set it apart from the herring and black-headed gulls found around harbours, and it nests on narrow ledges in arctic and subarctic coastlines. The word's form reflects that vocal identity rather than any feature of its appearance, which makes it one of the more direct examples of a bird being named for what it sounds like.

Synonyms: seagull