oscine

adjective

os·​cine ˈä-ˌsīn 

: of or relating to a large suborder (Oscines) of passerine birds (such as larks, shrikes, finches, orioles, and crows) characterized by a vocal apparatus highly specialized for singing

oscine noun

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Oscines, suborder name, from Latin, plural of oscin-, oscen songbird, bird giving omens by its cry, from obs-, ob- in front of, in the way + canere to sing — more at ob-, chant

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above