willow wren

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a traditional British name for the willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), also formerly applied to the closely related chiffchaff

   The willow wren moved lightly through the branches, searching each twig for insects.

A compound of willow and wren. Wren was once used more broadly for several very small brown songbirds, not only birds of the modern family Troglodytidae. Willow refers to the trees and scrub in which these leaf warblers forage. Willow warbler is now the usual name for Phylloscopus trochilus.

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