What are other words that are both birds and non-birds?

December 1, 2017 1:42 PM

In English, what are other words besides "crane" that refer to both a kind of bird and another non-bird object? (More mundane objects is better, e.g. not types of software.)
posted by Jahaza to Writing & Language (61 answers total)

Booby.
posted by Metroid Baby at 1:44 PM on December 1, 2017 [8 favorites]

flicker
posted by fingersandtoes at 1:44 PM on December 1, 2017 [3 favorites]

.........booby?
posted by kapers at 1:44 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

cock
posted by fingersandtoes at 1:45 PM on December 1, 2017 [3 favorites]

tit
posted by fingersandtoes at 1:45 PM on December 1, 2017 [4 favorites]

Tit mouse
posted by Sassyfras at 1:45 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Swallow. Thrush.
posted by crush at 1:46 PM on December 1, 2017 [5 favorites]

Invisible rail
posted by Sassyfras at 1:47 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: rail
posted by fingersandtoes at 1:47 PM on December 1, 2017 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Kite
posted by gyusan at 1:47 PM on December 1, 2017 [4 favorites]

Um, tits?

On preview I see that there seems to be a theme.

To be more helpful, there's the manakin, which is a homophone but one in which the origin is just the Dutch word for the same thing that we got the word "mannequin" from in English, and it is sometimes referred to as the mannequin bird.
posted by soren_lorensen at 1:48 PM on December 1, 2017 [2 favorites]

Lark (real bird, intangible thing)
Fly catcher (maybe rare, but can mean a bug trap)
Secretary (bird and job)
posted by SaltySalticid at 1:48 PM on December 1, 2017 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Monarch
posted by gyusan at 1:49 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

cardinal
posted by shortyJBot at 1:49 PM on December 1, 2017 [7 favorites]

Best answer: Frogmouth (a bird and also a frog’s mouth)

Barrow (bird and cart)
posted by SaltySalticid at 1:49 PM on December 1, 2017

Bunting
posted by Sassyfras at 1:49 PM on December 1, 2017 [4 favorites]

Hawk
Lark
posted by rouftop at 1:49 PM on December 1, 2017 [3 favorites]

Lark
posted by gyusan at 1:49 PM on December 1, 2017

Duck!

(oh wait, supposed to be an object, not just have two meanings... sorry)
posted by rouftop at 1:50 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Weaver
posted by gyusan at 1:51 PM on December 1, 2017

Oxpecker
posted by gyusan at 1:51 PM on December 1, 2017 [4 favorites]

Chat
posted by gyusan at 1:51 PM on December 1, 2017

Best answer: Dipper
posted by gyusan at 1:52 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Loon.
posted by misteraitch at 1:52 PM on December 1, 2017 [3 favorites]

Robin

Jay
posted by Winnie the Proust at 1:52 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Eagle
posted by Winnie the Proust at 1:53 PM on December 1, 2017

Oriole? #MLB
I think if Loon counts so does Oriole
posted by maniabug at 1:55 PM on December 1, 2017

Rook
posted by darchildre at 1:55 PM on December 1, 2017

Teal
Creeper
posted by Sassyfras at 1:58 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Some of these are pushing "objects" but nouns at least: kiwi, shoveler, redhead, loon, shag, kite, rail, coot, trumpeter, tattler, knot, ruff, hermit, mango, coquette, sapphire, emerald, ruby, rifleman, miner, babbler, nutcracker, rook, creeper, thrasher, trembler, thrush, dipper.
posted by haruspicina at 1:58 PM on December 1, 2017 [4 favorites]

Duck
posted by essexjan at 1:58 PM on December 1, 2017

Shag
posted by The Toad at 2:02 PM on December 1, 2017

Warbler,
Jay
Goose
Hawk
Chicken
Coo coo
Parrot
posted by Oyéah at 2:07 PM on December 1, 2017

tom (a male turkey)
hun (a grey partridge)
posted by XMLicious at 2:12 PM on December 1, 2017

Swift
Turkey
Darter?
Kite
Harrier
Hobby
Oystercatcher?
Stilt
Stint
Piper
Courser
Skimmer
posted by bunderful at 2:12 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

mourner
wren
grouse
posted by ubiquity at 2:39 PM on December 1, 2017

crow
posted by rsclark at 2:45 PM on December 1, 2017

Dodo
Maybe doesn't fit the question exactly...
posted by jimmereeno at 2:51 PM on December 1, 2017

Albatross - the other uses of the word may have stemmed from the bird, not sure
posted by AppleTurnover at 2:56 PM on December 1, 2017

Best answer: Stilt.
posted by salvia at 3:49 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Pigeon.
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:59 PM on December 1, 2017

Yellow Hammer
Bunting
posted by freya_lamb at 4:12 PM on December 1, 2017

Ruff
Knot
Black cap
posted by freya_lamb at 4:19 PM on December 1, 2017

creeper
skimmer
See a bit related previously.

If we're allowing verbs, i'd add:
snipe
quail
posted by Cold Lurkey at 4:34 PM on December 1, 2017

Roller
Bee-eater
posted by ellenaim at 4:46 PM on December 1, 2017

What about adjectives?

Swift
posted by Temeraria at 4:51 PM on December 1, 2017

"Dove", in the foreign-policy use in opposition to "hawk".

"Cuckoo", as in the type of clock (this is a bit close to being just the bird, though) or as in "a silly or slightly crackbrained person".
posted by madcaptenor at 5:05 PM on December 1, 2017

And for completion's sake, the word "bird" itself refers to birds and non-birds.
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 5:56 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

And, adding to the above comment, don't forget "birdie"!
posted by Seeking Direction at 6:37 PM on December 1, 2017

Owl
posted by Seeking Direction at 6:41 PM on December 1, 2017

Bird, birdie? Then... chick.
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:43 PM on December 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Hen
Penguin
posted by Seeking Direction at 6:46 PM on December 1, 2017

"Nighthawk" can refer to an Australian dragonfly.
posted by Seeking Direction at 6:54 PM on December 1, 2017

Best answer: "Gull" (as in "a person who is easily duped or cheated")
posted by Jeanne at 7:34 PM on December 1, 2017 [2 favorites]

Budgie
posted by stinker at 3:06 AM on December 2, 2017

Tern, but only as a homophone.
Raven if you allow adjectives.
posted by theora55 at 8:57 AM on December 2, 2017

Rook
posted by drunkonthemoon at 9:49 AM on December 2, 2017

Shag
posted by drunkonthemoon at 9:50 AM on December 2, 2017

Dipper
Weaver
Kiwi
Bunting
posted by drunkonthemoon at 9:56 AM on December 2, 2017

Wren (female army personnel during WWII)
posted by mippy at 4:40 PM on December 2, 2017

Best answer: Gannet
posted by tinkletown at 9:01 PM on December 2, 2017