B2 · 40 words
Birds and watching them in German
The birds a German garden, park or shoreline actually holds, and the words for what they do.
Bird names are the part of German that a dictionary helps least with: die Amsel and die Meise are ordinary garden birds here and have no everyday English equivalent that carries the same familiarity. They are worth learning because they turn up in weather talk, in children’s books and on every nature programme. Note that a bird’s call has its own verb — zwitschern for small birds, and German does not simply say singen for all of them.
The words
Verb (2)
brütento brood, to sit on eggsVerbB2
Figuratively also to brood over a problem.
zwitschernto chirp, to twitterVerbB2
Used impersonally as often as with a subject.
Noun (37)
die AmselblackbirdNounB1
Plural: die Amseln.
die MeisetitNounB1
Plural: die Meisen.
der SpechtwoodpeckerNounB2
Plural: die Spechte.
die ElstermagpieNounB2
Plural: die Elstern.
die KrähecrowNounB1
Plural: die Krähen.
der RaberavenNounB2
A weak noun: den Raben, dem Raben.
die Taubepigeon, doveNounA2
One word for both birds; die Friedenstaube is the dove of peace.
der SpatzsparrowNounB1
Also der Sperling; Spatz is the everyday word.
die SchwalbeswallowNounB1
Plural: die Schwalben.
der StorchstorkNounB1
Plural: die Störche.
der Kranichcrane (bird)NounB2
Not the machine, which is der Kran.
die MöwegullNounB1
Plural: die Möwen.
die EnteduckNounA2
Plural: die Enten.
die GansgooseNounA2
Plural: die Gänse.
der SchwanswanNounB1
Plural: die Schwäne.
der ReiherheronNounC1
Plural is the same: die Reiher.
der FalkefalconNounB2
A weak noun: den Falken.
der BussardbuzzardNounC1
Plural: die Bussarde.
die EuleowlNounB1
Plural: die Eulen.
der KuckuckcuckooNounB2
Plural: die Kuckucke.
die NachtigallnightingaleNounC1
Plural: die Nachtigallen.
der StarstarlingNounC1
The same word as a celebrity, but the plural differs: die Stare for the bird, die Stars for people.
der FinkfinchNounC1
A weak noun: den Finken.
die LerchelarkNounC1
Not die Lärche, which is a larch tree.
das RotkehlchenrobinNounB2
A diminutive, so neuter, and the plural is the same.
der KolibrihummingbirdNounC1
Plural: die Kolibris.
das GefiederplumageNounC1
A collective noun, so no plural.
der FlügelwingNounB1
The same word as a grand piano and as a wing of a building.
der Schwarmflock, swarmNounB2
Plural: die Schwärme.
der Zugvogelmigratory birdNounB2
Plural: die Zugvögel.
das Vogelhausbird table, nest boxNounB1
Plural: die Vogelhäuser.
die VogelbeobachtungbirdwatchingNounC1
No plural.
der Horsteyrie, large nestNounC2
Used for birds of prey and storks, not for small birds.
das Gelegeclutch of eggsNounC2
Plural is the same: die Gelege.
der Nistkastennest boxNounB2
Plural: die Nistkästen.
die Vogeltränkebird bathNounC1
Plural: die Vogeltränken.
der Vogelzugbird migrationNounC1
No plural.
Adjective (1)
flüggefledged, ready to leave the nestAdjectiveC2
Also said of children leaving home.
This list belongs to Nature, animals and weather — 45 lists and 1684 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.