bloodbird

Etymology

From blood + bird, from the bright red colour of the male.

noun

  1. An Australian honeyeater, the scarlet myzomela (Myzomela sanguinolenta).“I was watching a lovely little read-headed honey-eater—that beautiful scarlet and black bird, familiarly known as the bloodbird— feeding busily in the top of a small turpentine tree, and ceasing operations now and again to utter his little running call.”