rookery
noun
rook·ery
ˈru̇-kə-rē 
plural rookeries
1
a
: the nests or breeding place of a colony of rooks
also
: a colony of rooks
b
: a breeding ground or haunt especially of gregarious birds or mammals (such as penguins or seals)
also
: a colony of such birds or mammals
2
: a crowded dilapidated tenement or group of dwellings
Examples of rookery in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
White sharks gather near rookeries for a buffet as weanlings begin heading out to sea.
—
Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025
The trouble begins when these birds come to urban and residential areas and establish rookeries — nesting colonies — inhabited by hundreds, if not thousands, of adult egrets and their young.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2025
Egrets typically create rookeries in February or March, after which waves of birds will arrive, laying eggs and raising chicks until mid-September or October.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2025
Perched on a hillside with plenty of rocks and places to hide out, the rattlesnake rookery in northern Colorado is helping researchers learn more about these venomous reptiles.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for rookery
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.
Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025
The trouble begins when these birds come to urban and residential areas and establish rookeries — nesting colonies — inhabited by hundreds, if not thousands, of adult egrets and their young.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2025
Egrets typically create rookeries in February or March, after which waves of birds will arrive, laying eggs and raising chicks until mid-September or October.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2025
Perched on a hillside with plenty of rocks and places to hide out, the rattlesnake rookery in northern Colorado is helping researchers learn more about these venomous reptiles.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for rookery
Cite this Entry
“Rookery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rookery. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rookery
noun
rook·ery
ˈru̇k-ə-rē
plural rookeries
: the place where a group of birds or social mammals (as penguins or seals) breed, nest, or raise their young
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share