ScienceAugust 17, 2026

ornithologist

OR-nih-THOL-uh-jist

Definition

A scientist who specializes in the study of birds.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek words 'ornithos' (bird) and '-logia' (study of), appearing in English in the mid-19th century to describe those who research avian biology.

In the news

The article uses the ornithologist as an example of an expert who can conduct surveys of bird populations using only sight and sound, contrasting their traditional methods with modern bioacoustics.

Worm munch matters: the new acoustic ecology of the soil

Read the full article ↗

Aeon

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