Fieldfare
/ˈfiːldˌfɛər/noun
A migratory Eurasian thrush with a gray head, chestnut back, and speckled breast.
Did you know?The name reflects the bird’s habit of appearing in fields and other open country, especially during seasonal movements and winter visits to Britain.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pel-
“To spread out or be flat; a proposed deep root associated with the open ground sense of field.”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*felþą
“Open land, plain, or field.”
Old English
Old English
feld
“Field or open tract of land.”
Old English
Old English
feldfere
“Literally “field traveler,” the name of the bird.”
Middle English
Middle English
feldfare
“The migratory thrush; a bird associated with fields.”
Modern English
English
fieldfare
“A Eurasian thrush, Turdus pilaris.”