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prettygoodwordphoebe (FEE-bee) - n., any of several grayish-brown American flycatchers of the genus Sayornis, especially S. phoebe of eastern North America.
The name is imitative of the distinctive call, though the bird says it fee-BEE! fee-BEE! with a rise of over an octave on the second note. Originally, it the name was spelled phebe, but this was changed in the 1830s to match the woman's (and mythological figure's) name.
Thanks, Wikimedia!
---L.
The name is imitative of the distinctive call, though the bird says it fee-BEE! fee-BEE! with a rise of over an octave on the second note. Originally, it the name was spelled phebe, but this was changed in the 1830s to match the woman's (and mythological figure's) name.
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Thanks, Wikimedia!
---L.
