Illustration of tropic bird
tropic bird
noun
: any of a genus (Phaethon of the family Phaethontidae) of web-footed birds that are related to the pelicans, are found chiefly in tropical seas often far from land, and have mostly white satiny plumage marked with a little black, a greatly elongated central pair of tail feathers, and a brightly colored bill
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This is true for zebra finches, waved albatrosses, tropic birds and juncos, too.
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Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2019
The whistles of tropic birds speak of things to come.
—Ernest Slyman, New York Times, 21 June 2018
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Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2019
The whistles of tropic birds speak of things to come.
—Ernest Slyman, New York Times, 21 June 2018
Cite this Entry
“Tropic bird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tropic%20bird. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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