Woodcreeper

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small to medium-sized bird of tropical and subtropical America that climbs tree trunks and branches in search of insects, characterized by a slender curved bill and brown plumage
2. A tree-dwelling bird native to Central and South America that hitches up the bark of trees using its stiff tail feathers as support while foraging for arthropods
3. Any of various American birds that spiral upward along tree trunks to hunt for insects, typically featuring mottled brown feathers and a somewhat wren-like appearance

Etymology: The name is about as literal as English compounds get. "Wood" is the ordinary Old English word for a forest or stand of trees, and "creeper" is an agent noun from "creep," describing something that moves slowly along a surface. Put together, the name describes a bird that climbs about on tree trunks. The birds themselves belong to the family Dendrocolaptidae, found from Mexico down through South America. What makes the name fit so well is the bird's tail. The stiff feathers work like a prop, pressed against the bark so the bird can hitch itself upward while it probes crevices for insects and other arthropods. The name is simply a description of that climbing habit, and English speakers coined it without any need for a more elaborate story.

Synonyms: treecreeper, creeper