English Reference

Word

warbler

Phoneticswar·bler

US/ˈwɔɹbɫɝ/

UK/wˈɔːblɐ/

Definition

n. a small bird that sings a lot and moves its tail up and down. You usually see them in gardens or forests during the spring and summer.

n. any of various small, insect-eating birds of the family Parulidae, characterized by a slender body, long tail, and a tendency to flick the tail while singing.

Examples

“A yellow warbler is singing in the trees.”

“During the spring migration, several species of warbler pass through the local park before continuing their journey north.”

“The ornithologist spent the entire morning identifying the subtle differences in the songs of various warbler species that had nested in the dense underbrush of the valley.”

Examples

simple

“A yellow warbler is singing in the trees.”

contextual

“During the spring migration, several species of warbler pass through the local park before continuing their journey north.”

complex

“The ornithologist spent the entire morning identifying the subtle differences in the songs of various warbler species that had nested in the dense underbrush of the valley.”

Real-World Examples

“I was on the hunt for a yellow-rumped warbler—a bird affectionately called "butter-butt" by birdwatchers after the distinctive buttery yellow patch of feathers above its tail.”
Phys.org · 9 Sept 2026
“I was on the hunt for a yellow-rumped warbler – a bird affectionately called “butter-butt” by bird-watchers after the distinctive buttery yellow patch of feathers above its tail.”
The Conversation · 8 Sept 2026
“The parasite also causes a lethal disease in another group of birds known as passerines, which are common in gardens and include well-known songbirds like finches, warblers and sparrows.”
Phys.org · 4 Sept 2026

Etymology

From warble + -er.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/warbler

English Reference