ovenbird

noun

ov·​en·​bird ˈə-vən-ˌbərd How to pronounce ovenbird (audio)
1
: any of various chiefly South American small brown passerine birds (family Furnariidae, especially genus Furnarius)
2
: an American warbler (Seiurus aurocapilla) that builds a dome-shaped nest on the ground

Illustration of ovenbird

Illustration of ovenbird
  • ovenbird 2

Examples of ovenbird in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ovenbird Warblers such as the ovenbird are often difficult to spot, so learning their widely varied songs is essential to identification. Christopher Gangemi, New Yorker, 21 May 2026 Seeing my very first ovenbird, in all his tiny majesty, was an absolute thrill. Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Mar. 2024 Recent bird sightings reported to Mass Audubon: A sampling of new migrants that arrived last week included chimney swifts, yellow warblers, Louisiana waterthrushes, ovenbirds, wood thrushes, warbling vireos, Baltimore orioles and orchard orioles. Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Apr. 2023 Species showing declines included the ovenbird, which relies on heavy leaf litter, and the beloved bobolink, known for its distinctive coloring and song, as well as its impressive annual migration. Nara Schoenberg, Chicago Tribune, 15 July 2022 Like the other weekend, an ovenbird and seven Northern Flickers and a couple unusual catbirds stopped in to fuel up on my red chokeberries and high-bush berries. Paige Darrah, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2021 Sparrows, ovenbirds, juncos, warblers, kinglets, and creepers are just some of the species on the casualty list. Babak Tafreshi, National Geographic, 3 Apr. 2019

Word History

Etymology

from the shape of its nest

First Known Use

circa 1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ovenbird was circa 1825

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ovenbird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ovenbird. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

ovenbird

noun
ov·​en·​bird -ˌbərd How to pronounce ovenbird (audio)
: an American warbler that builds a dome-shaped nest on the ground

More from Merriam-Webster on ovenbird

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster