What's the bird word?
Spring is coming, so it's time to sharpen your bird-identification skills. How many common bird names can you spot hiding in the words or phrases described below? For example, a satire by Jonathan Swift is 'GULL-iver's Travels.' (Hint: some homonyms here!)
1. Numbers one, two, three, four, and so on.
2. Extremely hungry.
3. To walk across the street, but not on the crosswalk.
4. Twilight or dusk.
5. A small compartment in a desk or cabinet for papers, keys, etc.
6. A graceful dive in which the arms are spread like wings.
7. Therefore.
8. Cowardly.
9. A march or stride.
10. A farewell performance.
11. Another word for geranium.
12. A member of a junior chamber of commerce.
13. To engulf or absorb.
14. A fierce frown.
15. A trench excavated by running water.
16. Soon thereafter.
17. A street peddler.
18. A lookout post on a ship.
19. A wrinkle around the eye.
20. A tool for gripping, twisting, and turning.
21. Crazy or foolish.
22. Delphinium.
23. An evergreen with scarlet berries.
24. Rapidly.
25. Skull.
26. Wavering.
27. Traitor.
28. Modern-day physicist and writer about the universe.
29. Wild West tavern.
30. Polite and gracious.
31. To stalk secretly, hunt.
32. An assigned task or quantity of work.
(1) CARDINAL numbers (the numbers used in counting); (2) RAVENous; (3) JAYwalk; (4) OWL light; (5) PIGEON-hole; (6) SWAN dive; (7) hence; (8) CHICKENhearted (or livered); (9) GOOSE step; (10) SWAN song; (11) CRANEsbill; (12) JAYcee; (13) SWALLOW; (14) scOWL; (15) GULLy; (16) tHEN; (17) HAWKer; (18) CROW's-nest; (19) CROW's-foot; (20) WRENch; (21) LOONy; (22) LARKspur; (23) partridgeberry; (24) swiftly; (25) 'cranE'-ium; (26) flickering; (27) 'TERN'-coat; (28) Stephen Hawking; (29) saloon; (30) gen-'TEAL'; (31) prowl; (32) STINT (a kind of sandpiper).