sheldrake

[ shel-dreyk ]

noun

, plural shel·drakes, (especially collectively) shel·drake.

1. any of several Old World ducks of the genus Tadorna, certain species of which have highly variegated plumage.
2. any of various other ducks, especially the goosander or merganser.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sheldrake¹

1275–1325; Middle English sheldedrake, equivalent to sheld particolored + drake drake ¹

Example Sentences

The most common birds up these tidal rivers are the sheldrake.

From Project Gutenberg

Just above, at the foot of the trout pool, a brood of sheldrake were croaking and splashing about in the shallows.

From Project Gutenberg

The tame bird is no bigger than a domestic duck; the wild sheldrake, flying about in the strong sunshine, looks almost as large as a goose.

From Project Gutenberg

Quite the handsomest of the wildfowl on the marsh were a colony of sheldrakes which occupied a number of disused rabbit-burrows on a raised plateau overlooking the bay.

From Project Gutenberg

Paddling along the eastern side of the lake in the still of the morning, we soon saw a few sheldrakes, which the Indian called Shecorways, and some peetweets on the rocky shore.

From Project Gutenberg