'Sage sparrow' definitions:

Definition of 'Sage sparrow'

From: GCIDE
  • Sage \Sage\, n. [OE. sauge, F. sauge, L. salvia, from salvus saved, in allusion to its reputed healing virtues. See Safe.] (Bot.) (a) A suffruticose labiate plant (Salvia officinalis) with grayish green foliage, much used in flavoring meats, etc. The name is often extended to the whole genus, of which many species are cultivated for ornament, as the scarlet sage, and Mexican red and blue sage. (b) The sagebrush. [1913 Webster]
  • Meadow sage (Bot.), a blue-flowered species of Salvia (Salvia pratensis) growing in meadows in Europe.
  • Sage cheese, cheese flavored with sage, and colored green by the juice of leaves of spinach and other plants which are added to the milk.
  • Sage cock (Zool.), the male of the sage grouse; in a more general sense, the specific name of the sage grouse.
  • Sage green, of a dull grayish green color, like the leaves of garden sage.
  • Sage grouse (Zool.), a very large American grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), native of the dry sagebrush plains of Western North America. Called also {cock of the plains}. The male is called sage cock, and the female sage hen.
  • Sage hare, or Sage rabbit (Zool.), a species of hare (Lepus Nuttalli syn. Lepus artemisia) which inhabits the arid regions of Western North America and lives among sagebrush. By recent writers it is considered to be merely a variety of the common cottontail, or wood rabbit.
  • Sage hen (Zool.), the female of the sage grouse.
  • Sage sparrow (Zool.), a small sparrow (Amphispiza Belli, var. Nevadensis) which inhabits the dry plains of the Rocky Mountain region, living among sagebrush.
  • Sage thrasher (Zool.), a singing bird ({Oroscoptes montanus}) which inhabits the sagebrush plains of Western North America.
  • Sage willow (Bot.), a species of willow (Salix tristis) forming a low bush with nearly sessile grayish green leaves. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'sage sparrow'

From: GCIDE
  • Sparrow \Spar"row\, n. [OE. sparwe, AS. spearwa; akin to OHG. sparo, G. sperling, Icel. sp["o]rr, Dan. spurv, spurre, Sw. sparf, Goth. sparwa; -- originally, probably, the quiverer or flutterer, and akin to E. spurn. See Spurn, and cf. Spavin.]
  • 1. (Zool.) One of many species of small singing birds of the family Fringilligae, having conical bills, and feeding chiefly on seeds. Many sparrows are called also finches, and buntings. The common sparrow, or house sparrow, of Europe (Passer domesticus) is noted for its familiarity, its voracity, its attachment to its young, and its fecundity. See House sparrow, under House. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The following American species are well known; the chipping sparrow, or chippy, the sage sparrow, the savanna sparrow, the song sparrow, the {tree sparrow}, and the white-throated sparrow (see Peabody bird). See these terms under Sage, Savanna, etc. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. (Zool.) Any one of several small singing birds somewhat resembling the true sparrows in form or habits, as the European hedge sparrow. See under Hedge. [1913 Webster]
  • He that doth the ravens feed, Yea, providently caters for the sparrow, Be comfort to my age! --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Field sparrow, Fox sparrow, etc. See under Field, Fox, etc.
  • Sparrow bill, a small nail; a castiron shoe nail; a sparable.
  • Sparrow hawk. (Zool.) (a) A small European hawk (Accipiter nisus) or any of the allied species. (b) A small American falcon (Falco sparverius). (c) The Australian collared sparrow hawk ({Accipiter torquatus}).
  • Note: The name is applied to other small hawks, as the European kestrel and the New Zealand quail hawk.
  • Sparrow owl (Zool.), a small owl (Glaucidium passerinum) found both in the Old World and the New. The name is also applied to other species of small owls.
  • Sparrow spear (Zool.), the female of the reed bunting. [Prov. Eng.] [1913 Webster]