ˈrain-bird
[f. rain n.1 + bird n.]
1. The green woodpecker, Picus viridis.
| 1555 Gesner Hist. Anim. III. 675 Picus, Anglis a specht, uel a Vuodpecker, uel raynbyrde. 1601 Holland Pliny II. 214 The Rainbird, Woodpeck or Hickway, called Picus Martius. 1843 Yarrell Brit. Birds II. 136 The Green Woodpecker..[is] said to be vociferous when rain is impending, hence their name of Rain-bird. 1913 H. K. Swann Dict. Eng. & Folk-Names Brit. Birds 187 Rain-bird, Rain-fowl, or Rain-pye: The Green Woodpecker... It is still a country belief that when the cry of this bird is much heard rain will follow. 1979 Country Life 20 Sept. 829/3 Now I hardly ever hear the rainbird, as the green woodpecker is called. |
2. A Jamaican cuckoo (cf. quots. 1852 and 1894).
| 1725 Sloane Jamaica II. 312 It makes a noise generally before rain, whence it had its name of Rain Bird. 1756 P. Browne Jamaica 467 The Rain-Bird..is seldom seen, but when it flies it takes a thousand turns in its flight. 1852 Schlater in Jardine Contrib. Ornith. 83 Rain-Birds (a modification of Saurotheræ, Motmots..). 1894 Newton Dict. Birds 654 Old Man, the name in Jamaica for Hyetornis pluvialis, one of the Cuckows which is also called Rain-bird, as are others of the family. |
3. In Australia: (see quots.).
| 1860 G. Bennett Gather. of Naturalist 283 The Australian Shrike or Butcher-bird, also called Rain-bird by the colonists (Vanga destructor). 1898 Morris Austral Eng. s.v., The rain-bird of Queensland and the interior is the great Cuckoo or Channel-bill. |