magpie lark

or mag·pie-lark

noun

a black-and-white pied bird, Grallina cyanoleuca, inhabiting areas near water in Australia and southern New Guinea.

Origin of magpie lark

First recorded in 1885–90

Words nearby magpie lark

magnus hitch, magog, magot, magpie, magpie goose, magpie lark, magpie moth, magr, magritte, magsaysay, magsman

Example sentences from the Web for magpie lark

  • Note one or two prominent markings, and the size of a bird; say, larger than a Starling, but smaller than a Magpie-Lark.

    An Australian Bird Book |John Albert Leach

  • Its dainty, well-kept plumage renders the Magpie-Lark one of the most graceful of birds.

    An Australian Bird Book |John Albert Leach

British Dictionary definitions for magpie lark

magpie lark

noun

a common black-and-white bird of Australia, Grallina cyanoleuca, that builds a mud nest Also called: peewee