Root nouns of 8 letters or fewer that the dictionary defines as birds with definitions
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187 total entries across 6 section(s)
Note: this list is built automatically from the wording of the dictionary definitions. A few words here match the wording without truly belonging to the group, and some words that do belong may be missing. Treat it as a memory aid for learning the words, not as a reference on their meanings.
| FRONT | WORD | BACK | DEFINITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMR | ANI | LS | [n. -S] · a tropical American~ bird |
| — | EMU | S | [n. -S] · a large, flightless bird |
| — | JAY | S | [n. JAYS] · a corvine bird / [x] { jay jaybird § jaybirds jays } |
| — | KAE | S | [n. -S] · a bird resembling a crow |
| — | MOA | NST | [n. -S] · an extinct flightless bird |
| BCFHJY | OWL | SY | [n. -S] · a nocturnal bird |
| C | ROC | KS | [n. -S] · a legendary bird of prey / [x] { roc ruck rukh § rocs rukhs } |
| — | TIT | IS | [n. -S] · a small bird |
| EP | TUI | S | [n. -S] · a bird of New Zealand~ |
| FRONT | WORD | BACK | DEFINITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | COLY | — | [n. COLIES] · an African~ bird |
| S | COOT | S | [n. -S] · an aquatic bird |
| — | DODO | S | [n. -DOES or -DOS] · an extinct flightless bird |
| — | DOVE | NS | [n. -S] · a bird of the pigeon family |
| O | GLED | ES | [n. -S] · glede «a bird of prey» / [x] { gled glede gleed § gledes gleds } |
| — | GUAN | OS | [n. -S] · a large bird |
| — | HERN | S | [n. -S] · a heron / [x] { hern heron hon § herns herons } |
| — | IBIS | — | [n. IBISES] · a wading bird |
| — | KAGU | S | [n. -S] · a flightless bird |
| — | KIWI | S | [n. -S] · a flightless bird |
| — | KOEL | S | [n. -S] · an Australian~ bird |
| — | MURR | AESY | [n. -S] · murre «a diving bird» / [x] { murr murre § murres murrs § murrs } |
| — | MYNA | HS | [n. -S] · an Asian~ bird / [x] { mina myna mynah § minae minas mynahs mynas } |
| — | RHEA | S | [n. -S] · a flightless bird |
| — | RUKH | S | [n. -S] · a roc / [x] { roc ruck rukh § rocs rukhs } |
| — | SORA | S | [n. -S] · a marsh bird |
| — | TODY | — | [n. TODIES] · a West Indian~ bird |
| — | WEKA | S | [n. -S] · a flightless bird |
| FRONT | WORD | BACK | DEFINITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | AVIAN | S | [n. -S] · a bird |
| — | CAHOW | S | [n. -S] · a sea bird |
| — | CHICK | S | [n. -S] · a young bird |
| — | CRAKE | S | [n. -S] · a small, harsh-voiced~ bird |
| R | EGRET | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | FINCH | — | [n. -ES] · a small bird |
| — | GLEDE | S | [n. -S] · a bird of prey / [x] { gled glede gleed § gledes gleds } |
| — | GOOSE | DSY | [n. GEESE] · a swimming bird / ----- [v. GOOSED, GOOSING, GOOSES] · to poke between the buttocks |
| — | GREBE | S | [n. -S] · a diving bird |
| — | HERON | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird / [x] { hern heron hon § herns herons } |
| — | MURRE | SY | [n. -S] · a diving bird / [x] { murr murre § murres murrs § murrs } |
| — | MYNAH | S | [n. -S] · myna «an Asian~ bird» / [x] { mina myna mynah § minae minas mynahs mynas } |
| H | OUSEL | S | [n. -S] · ouzel «a European~ bird» / [x] { ousel ouzel § ousels ouzels } |
| — | OUZEL | S | [n. -S] · a European~ bird / [x] { ousel ouzel § ousels ouzels } |
| — | PEWEE | S | [n. -S] · a small bird |
| — | PITTA | S | [n. -S] · a perching bird of Asia~, Australia~, and Africa~ / [x] { pita pitta § pitas pittas } |
| — | STORK | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | VIREO | S | [n. -EOS] · a small bird |
| — | WHAUP | S | [n. -S] · a European~ bird |
| — | WHYDA | HS | [n. -S] · whydah «an African~ bird» / [x] { whidah whyda whydah widowbird § whidahs whydahs whydas widowbirds } |
| FRONT | WORD | BACK | DEFINITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | AVOCET | S | [n. -S] · a shore bird / [x] { avocet avoset § avocets avosets } |
| — | AVOSET | S | [n. -S] · avocet «a shore bird» / [x] { avocet avoset § avocets avosets } |
| — | BARBET | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | BROLGA | S | [n. -S] · a large Australian~ bird |
| — | CHEBEC | S | [n. -S] · a small bird |
| — | CHUKAR | S | [n. -S] · a game bird |
| — | CORVID | S | [n. -S] · any of a family of passerine birds |
| — | CURLEW | S | [n. -S] · a shore bird |
| — | DRONGO | S | [n. -OES or -OS] · a tropical bird (=drongoes) |
| — | DUNLIN | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | FALCON | S | [n. -S] · a bird of prey |
| — | GODWIT | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | HOOPOE | S | [n. -S] · a European~ bird / [x] { hoopoe hoopoo § hoopoes hoopoos } |
| — | HOOPOO | S | [n. -POOS] · hoopoe «a European~ bird» / [x] { hoopoe hoopoo § hoopoes hoopoos } |
| — | JABIRU | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | JACANA | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | MAGPIE | S | [n. -S] · a corvine bird |
| — | MARTIN | GIS | [n. -S] · a small bird / [x] { martin martlet § martins martlets } |
| — | MOPOKE | S | [n. -S] · an Australian~ bird |
| — | MOTMOT | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | MUDHEN | S | [n. -S] · a bird that lives in marshes |
| — | PHENIX | — | [n. -ES] · phoenix / [x] { phenixes phoenixes § phenix phoenix phoenixes } |
| — | PHOEBE | S | [n. -S] · a small bird |
| — | PIGEON | S | [n. -S] · a short-legged~ bird |
| — | PLOVER | S | [n. -S] · a shore bird |
| — | PUFFIN | GS | [n. -S] · a sea bird |
| — | RAPTOR | S | [n. -S] · a bird of prey |
| — | RATITE | S | [n. -S] · a flightless bird |
| — | REDLEG | S | [n. -S] · a bird with red legs |
| — | SHRIKE | S | [n. -S] · a predatory bird |
| — | TAKAHE | S | [n. -S] · a flightless bird |
| — | TOMTIT | S | [n. -S] · a small bird |
| — | TOUCAN | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | TROGON | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | TURACO | SU | [n. -COS] · touraco «an African~ bird» / [x] { touraco turaco turacou § touracos turacos turacous } |
| — | TURKEY | S | [n. -KEYS] · a large American~ bird |
| — | VERDIN | S | [n. -S] · a small bird |
| — | WHIDAH | S | [n. -S] · whydah «an African~ bird» / [x] { whidah whyda whydah widowbird § whidahs whydahs whydas widowbirds } |
| — | WHYDAH | S | [n. -S] · an African~ bird / [x] { whidah whyda whydah widowbird § whidahs whydahs whydas widowbirds } |
| — | WILLET | S | [n. -S] · a shore bird |
| FRONT | WORD | BACK | DEFINITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | ANHINGA | S | [n. -S] · an aquatic bird |
| — | BIRDMAN | — | [n. BIRDMEN] · one who keeps birds |
| — | BITTERN | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | BLUEJAY | S | [n. -JAYS] · a corvine bird |
| — | BULLBAT | S | [n. -S] · a nocturnal bird |
| — | BUSTARD | S | [n. -S] · a game bird |
| — | BUZZARD | S | [n. -S] · a large bird of prey |
| — | COTINGA | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | COURLAN | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | DORHAWK | S | [n. -S] · a nocturnal bird |
| — | DOTTREL | S | [n. -S] · dotterel «a shore bird» / [x] { dotterel dottrel § dotterels dottrels } |
| — | FATBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | FINFOOT | S | [n. -S] · an aquatic bird |
| — | HALCYON | S | [n. -S] · a mythical bird |
| — | HOATZIN | S | [n. -S or -ES] · a tropical bird |
| — | JACAMAR | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | JACKDAW | S | [n. -S] · a crowlike~ bird |
| — | JAYBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a jay / [x] { jay jaybird § jaybirds jays } |
| — | LAPWING | S | [n. -S] · a shore bird |
| — | LIMPKIN | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | MANAKIN | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | MARTLET | S | [n. -S] · a martin / [x] { martin martlet § martins martlets } |
| — | MEGAPOD | ES | [n. -S] · megapode «a large-footed~ bird» / [x] { megapod megapode § megapodes megapods § megapod megapode } |
| — | OILBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| P | ORTOLAN | S | [n. -S] · a European~ bird |
| — | OSTRICH | — | [n. -ES] · a large, flightless bird |
| — | PELICAN | S | [n. -S] · a large, web-footed~ bird |
| — | PENGUIN | S | [n. -S] · a flightless, aquatic bird |
| — | PHOENIX | — | [n. -ES] · a mythical bird / [x] { phenixes phoenixes § phenix phoenix phoenixes } |
| — | QUETZAL | S | [n. -S or -ES] · a tropical bird |
| — | REDBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a bird with red plumage |
| — | RUDDOCK | S | [n. -S] · a European~ bird |
| — | SAWBILL | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | SERIEMA | S | [n. -S] · a Brazilian~ bird |
| — | SPARROW | S | [n. -S] · a small bird |
| — | SUNBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | TANAGER | S | [n. -S] · a brightly colored bird |
| — | TINAMOU | S | [n. -S] · a South American~ game bird |
| — | TOURACO | S | [n. -COS] · an African~ bird / [x] { touraco turaco turacou § touracos turacos turacous } |
| — | TROCHIL | IS | [n. -S] · an African~ bird |
| — | TURACOU | S | [n. -S] · touraco «an African~ bird» / [x] { touraco turaco turacou § touracos turacos turacous } |
| — | VULTURE | S | [n. -S] · a bird of prey |
| — | WAXBILL | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | WAXWING | S | [n. -S] · a type of passerine bird |
| — | WRYNECK | S | [n. -S] · a European~ bird |
| FRONT | WORD | BACK | DEFINITION |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | BELLBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird |
| — | BLACKCAP | S | [n. -S] · a small European~ bird |
| — | BLUEBACK | S | [n. -S] · a bird or fish having a bluish back |
| — | BOATBILL | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | BOBWHITE | S | [n. -S] · a game bird |
| — | BRANTAIL | S | [n. -S] · a singing bird |
| — | CAGELING | S | [n. -S] · a caged bird |
| — | CARDINAL | S | [n. -S] · a bright red bird |
| — | DAKERHEN | S | [n. -S] · a European~ bird |
| — | DOTTEREL | S | [n. -S] · a shore bird / [x] { dotterel dottrel § dotterels dottrels } |
| — | FIREBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a brightly colored bird |
| — | FLAMINGO | S | [n. -GOS or -GOES] · a wading bird |
| — | GRAYBACK | S | [n. -S] · a gray bird |
| — | GUACHARO | S | [n. -ROS or -ROES] · a tropical bird |
| — | GUITGUIT | S | [n. -S] · a tropical American~ bird |
| — | HANGBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a type of bird |
| — | HORNBILL | S | [n. -S] · a large-billed~ bird |
| — | KILLDEER | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | KINGBIRD | S | [n. -S] · an American~ bird |
| — | LYREBIRD | S | [n. -S] · an Australian~ bird |
| — | MANUCODE | S | [n. -S] · a bird of paradise |
| — | MEGAPODE | S | [n. -S] · a large-footed~ bird / [x] { megapod megapode § megapodes megapods § megapod megapode } |
| — | MOORFOWL | S | [n. -S] · a game bird |
| — | MURRELET | S | [n. -S] · a small diving bird |
| — | NESTLING | S | [n. -S] · a young bird |
| — | NIGHTJAR | S | [n. -S] · a nocturnal bird |
| — | NOTORNIS | — | [n. NOTORNIS] · a flightless bird |
| — | NUTHATCH | — | [n. -ES] · a small bird |
| — | OXPECKER | S | [n. -S] · an African~ bird |
| — | PAURAQUE | S | [n. -S] · a long-tailed~ nocturnal bird |
| — | PEETWEET | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | PHEASANT | S | [n. -S] · a large, long-tailed~ bird |
| — | PLUMIPED | S | [n. -S] · a bird having feathered feet |
| — | POORWILL | S | [n. -S] · a small North American~ bird |
| — | PUFFBACK | S | [n. -S] · a small African~ bird |
| — | PUFFBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a stocky tropical American~ bird |
| — | RAINBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a type of bird |
| — | REDSHANK | S | [n. -S] · a shore bird |
| — | REEDLING | S | [n. -S] · a marsh bird |
| — | RINGNECK | S | [n. -S] · a bird having a ring of color around the neck |
| — | SANDPEEP | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | SHOEBILL | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | SNOWBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a small bird |
| — | SONGBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a bird that utters a musical call |
| — | STARLING | S | [n. -S] · a European~ bird |
| — | SURFBIRD | S | [n. -S] · a shore bird |
| — | TITMOUSE | — | [n. -MICE] · a small bird |
| — | TROOPIAL | S | [n. -S] · troupial «a tropical bird» / [x] { troopial troupial § troopials troupials } |
| — | TROUPIAL | S | [n. -S] · a tropical bird / [x] { troopial troupial § troopials troupials } |
| — | TUBENOSE | S | [n. -S] · a bird having tubular nostrils |
| — | UMBRETTE | S | [n. -S] · a wading bird |
| — | WHEATEAR | S | [n. -S] · a small bird of northern regions |
| — | WHIMBREL | S | [n. -S] · a shore bird |
| — | WILDFOWL | S | [n. -S] · a wild game bird |
| — | WOODCOCK | S | [n. -S] · a game bird |
Copyright © 2026 Mitch Bayersdorfer · AGPL-3.0 · Thanks to Joe Petree for his definitions for these lists. · Detailed Attributions