sawbill

4 definitions found

sawbill - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Goosander \Goos"an`der\, n. [OE. gossander, a tautological word
     formed fr. goose + gander. Cf. Merganser.] (Zool.)
     A species of merganser (M. merganser) of Northern Europe
     and America; -- called also merganser, dundiver,
     sawbill, sawneb, shelduck, and sheldrake. See
     Merganser.
     [1913 Webster]

  Sawbill \Saw"bill`\, n.
     The merganser. [Prov. Eng.]
     [1913 Webster]

  Merganser \Mer*gan"ser\, n. [Sp. merg['a]nsar, fr. mergo a diver
     (L. mergus, fr. mergere to dip, dive) + ['a]nsar goose, L.
     anser.] (Zool.)
     Any bird of the genus Mergus (Merganser), and allied
     genera of the subfamily Merginae. They are allied to the
     ducks, but have a sharply serrated bill, eat fish, and dive
     for food. Also called fish duck.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     Note: The red-breasted merganser (Merganser serrator)
           inhabits both hemispheres. It is called also sawbill,
           harle, and sheldrake. The American merganser
           (Merganser Americanus.) and the hooded merganser
           (Lophodytes cucullatus) are well-known species.
  
     White merganser, the smew or white nun.
        [1913 Webster]

sawbill - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  sawbill
      n 1: large crested fish-eating diving duck having a slender
           hooked bill with serrated edges [syn: merganser, fish duck
           , sawbill, sheldrake]