What does bellbird mean?
A bellbird is any of several songbirds celebrated for calls that resemble the ringing of a bell. The name is applied to unrelated birds in different regions: the crested bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis) of arid Australia, the New Zealand bellbird or korimako (Anthornis melanura), a honeyeater with a beautiful, varied song, and the striking cotingas of the genus Procnias in Central and South America, whose males are among the loudest birds on Earth. Because the same common name covers several distinct species, writers often clarify which bird they mean, and in New Zealand the Māori term korimako is used interchangeably with the English name. The word itself is transparently descriptive, combining 'bell' with 'bird', and it evokes clear, resonant, musical sound. Bellbirds feature prominently in nature writing and conservation discussions, particularly in New Zealand, where predator control programmes have sought to restore their once-declining populations to mainland forests.
nounAny of several songbirds noted for their melodious, bell-like calls, especially the crested bellbird of Australia (Oreoica gutturalis), the bellbird or korimako of New Zealand (Anthornis melanura), and certain cotingas of Central and South America (genus Procnias).
- A general term for any bird whose call resembles the ringing of a bell, applied to distinct species in Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas.
- Specifically, the New Zealand bellbird or korimako (Anthornis melanura), a honeyeater endemic to New Zealand.
"At dawn, the forest rang with the clear, chiming call of the bellbird."
"Hikers paused on the ridge as a bellbird's chiming notes echoed through the beech forest."
"Conservationists have worked for decades to restore bellbird populations to mainland New Zealand sanctuaries."
Regular plural; used when referring to multiple individuals or to members of the group collectively.
"Bellbirds are among the most vocal inhabitants of New Zealand's native forests."
New Zealand's bellbird was once so abundant that Māori called forests 'the garden of the bellbird' — then rats and stoats nearly silenced it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bellbird
The word 'bellbird' is a straightforward English compound of 'bell' and 'bird', coined to describe birds whose notes sound like chiming bells; 'bell' derives from Middle English 'belle' of Germanic origin. The compound arose from the descriptive naming tradition common among European naturalists encountering unfamiliar colonial fauna, and it has been applied independently to unrelated species in Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas since at least the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
How bellbird is actually used
Because 'bellbird' is applied to unrelated birds in different parts of the world, context or a scientific name is usually needed to identify which species is meant. In New Zealand, the Māori name 'korimako' is widely used alongside the English name. The word carries pleasant connotations of clear, musical birdsong.
Easily confused with bellbird
A nightingale is a specific Eurasian thrush famed for its rich nocturnal song, whereas a bellbird is any of several unrelated Australasian or American birds named for their bell-like notes.