brantail

2 definitions found

brantail - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Redstart \Red"start`\ (-st?rt`), n. [Red + start tail.] (Zool.)
        (a) A small, handsome European singing bird (Phoenicurus  phoenicurus
            , formerly Ruticilla phoenicurus),
            allied to the nightingale; -- called also redtail,
            brantail, fireflirt, firetail. The black
            redstart is Phoenicurus ochruros (formerly
            Phoenicurus tithys), and is now rare and protected
            by law in England. The name is also applied to several
            other species of Ruticilla and allied genera, native
            of India.
        (b) An American fly-catching warbler (Setophaga  ruticilla
            ). The male is black, with large patches of
            orange-red on the sides, wings, and tail. The female
            is olive, with yellow patches.
            [1913 Webster +PJC]

  Brantail \Bran"tail`\ (br[a^]n"t[=a]l`), n. (Zool.)
     The European redstart; -- so called from the red color of its
     tail.
     [1913 Webster]