waterfowl

[ waw-ter-foul, wot-er- ]

noun

, plural wa·ter·fowls, (especially collectively) wa·ter·fowl.

1. a water bird, especially a swimming bird.
2. such birds taken collectively, especially the swans, geese, and ducks.

waterfowl

/ ˈwɔːtəˌfaʊl /

noun

1. any aquatic freshwater bird, esp any species of the family Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans)
2. such birds collectively

Word History and Origins

Origin of waterfowl¹

1250–1300; Middle English; cognate with German Wasservogel; water, fowl

Example Sentences

“Based on recent diagnostic results, it’s apparent that migratory waterfowl are moving this new ‘D’ genotype down the Pacific Flyway,” said Bryan Richards, the Emerging Disease Coordinator at the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

“Blake Edwards: A Love Story in 24 Frames” opens with Andrews describing the “silly but elegant” waterfowl sculpted by her late husband, and it is an apt symbol for him.

From Salon

Others have donated food to the ducks; on various days he gets cabbage, watermelon and strawberries, as well as worms — a favorite of the waterfowl.

From Los Angeles Times

“And we looked specifically at waterfowl hunting dogs because they are going to be the ones that are actively in infected habitats and retrieving infected birds in their mouth,” Dr. Brown said.

From New York Times

She also pointed to new research showing H5N1 antibodies in a group of Washington state hunting dogs trained to retrieve waterfowl, a carrier of the disease.

From Los Angeles Times