Bird n. 1.Orig., a chicken; the young of a fowl; a young eaglet; a nestling; and hence, a feathered flying animal (see 2). "That ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird." "The brydds (birds) of the aier have nestes."
2.(Zool.) A warm-blooded, feathered vertebrate provided with wings. See Aves. 3.Specifically, among sportsmen, a game bird.
4.Fig.: A girl; a maiden. "And by my word! the bonny bird In danger shall not tarry."
Arabian bird, the phenix.
Bird of Jove, the eagle.
Bird of Juno, the peacock.
Bird louse (Zool.), a wingless insect of the group Mallophaga, of which the genera and species are very numerous and mostly parasitic upon birds. Bird mite (Zool.), a small mite (genera Dermanyssus, Dermaleichus and allies) parasitic upon birds. The species are numerous.
Bird of passage, a migratory bird.
Bird spider (Zool.), a very large South American spider (Mygale avicularia). It is said sometimes to capture and kill small birds.
Bird tick (Zool.), a dipterous insect parasitic upon birds (genus Ornithomyia, and allies), usually winged.
