avian

adjective

avi·an | \ˈā-vē-ən

Definition of avian

: of, relating to, or derived from birds avian behavior avian species

Examples of avian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Four goslings hatched, just the first wave in an avian population boom. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "Duck, duck, geese: It’s the time of year when waterways are full of water birds," 26 June 2018 Explore a secret garden The Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, built in the late 19th century as part of a Victorian garden, faced years of neglect and was lent to the Lincoln Park Zoo in the ’50s as an avian exhibit, then eventually closed to the public. — chicagotribune.com, "Secret Chicago: 40 of the city's best-kept mystery spots," 1 May 2018 After making the discovery, Clarke couldn't find a similar structure in non-avian dinosaur fossils, according to The Washington Post. — Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, "Dinosaurs Probably Didn't Roar, But Some Definitely Quacked," 13 Oct. 2016 In 2013, before the DBC prototype was operational, scientists from the lab worked with Chinese officials to manufacture a vaccine for an avian-flu strain. — Laine Higgins, WSJ, "This Company Aims to Deliver DNA on Demand With Its Biological Fax Machine," 12 July 2018 But more virulent strains such as those that cause avian flu are more likely to overwhelm the immune system on their own. — Ferris Jabr, Scientific American, "How Does the Flu Actually Kill People?," 18 Dec. 2017 People also got itchy rashes thanks to parasites called avian schistosomes, which usually infect birds and a specific species of snail. — Rachel Becker, The Verge, "There might be poop in the water you’re swimming in so please don’t swallow it, CDC says," 29 June 2018 Woodpeckers, on the other hand, have better avian etiquette, using their long bills to good advantage. — Jerry Shnay, Daily Southtown, "Shnay: June brings colorful birds to my yard," 11 June 2018 The expansive wetlands are difficult to travel through, and their avian inhabitants are elusive. — Chelsey Lewis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "By boat, bike or foot, Horicon Marsh is a Wisconsin treasure," 31 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'avian.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.