bananaquit

noun

ba·​nana·​quit
bə-ˈna-nə-ˌkwit,
especially British -ˈnä-
: a small tropical bird (Coereba flaveola) that has a slender down-curved bill, gray back, black head, white eye stripe, and bright yellow underparts, feeds on nectar, fruit, and insects, and is found from Mexico and the Caribbean south to northern Argentina

Note: There are numerous subspecies of bananaquit. The bananaquit is sometimes referred to as a honeycreeper (see honeycreeper sense 1), and while it has been historically placed in the family Coerebidae, it is now sometimes placed with the other honeycreepers in the tanager family, Thraupidae.

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Cite this Entry

“Bananaquit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bananaquit. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

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