Stormcocks

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of bird known for its vocal abilities, often associated with stormy weather patterns
2. Refers to certain species in the order Passeriformes, commonly recognized for their singing during inclement weather
3. A colloquial term that highlights the presence of songbirds that seem to sing more vigorously before or during a storm

Etymology: The stormcock is the mistle thrush, a bird that sings loudly from treetops in bad weather, and its name is a compound of "storm" and "cock." The "cock" element here is the old English-dialect sense of a male bird, a usage that survives in names such as "cock sparrow" and "woodcock." Together the two parts describe a male bird that seems to sing up a storm. "Stormcocks" is simply the plural of this noun, so it refers to more than one such bird.