hawksbill turtle

hawks·bill turtle | \ ˈhȯks-ˌbil-

variants: or hawksbill

Definition of hawksbill turtle

: a small- to medium-sized sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) of warm waters that has a narrow hawk-like beak, an upper shell of overlapping horny plates, and usually two claws on each forelimb

Note: The hawksbill turtle feeds chiefly on sponges. Its mottled brownish upper shell was used especially formerly to produce tortoiseshell.

Examples of hawksbill turtle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Previous studies on hawksbill turtles already have helped Omani and Emirati officials begin rethinking boundaries of some marine protected areas. — National Geographic, "Searching for Elusive Green Sea Turtles in the Persian Gulf," 16 June 2018 Open to people only from September to May, the island is the summer nesting site for migratory birds flying thousands of miles from the west coast of Africa and hawksbill turtles who lay their eggs on the unruffled sand. — Melanie Reffes, USA TODAY, "Best Caribbean islands for nature lovers," 9 Apr. 2018

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

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Cite this Entry

“Hawksbill turtle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hawksbill%20turtle. Accessed 28 Sep. 2020.