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One of several species of insectivorous birds, belonging to Caprimulgus and allied genera, esp. the European species (Caprimulgus Europæus); -- so called from the mistaken notion that it sucks goats. The European species is also goat-milker, goat owl, goat chaffer, fern owl, night hawk, nightjar, night churr, churr-owl…

A species of goatsucker (Antrostomus Carolinensis), of the southern United States; -- so called from its note.

The European goatsucker; -- so called because it eats the dor beetle. See Goatsucker. [Written also dorrhawk.] Booth.

ceding some important event. "On the eve of death." Keble. Eve churr (Zoöl), the European goatsucker or nightjar; -- called also night churr, and churr owl.

Having the bill cleft beyond the horny part, as in the case of swallows and goatsuckers.

ied to the kinglets. -- Gnat flower, the bee flower. -- Gnat hawk (Zoöl.), the European goatsucker; -- called also gnat owl. -- Gnat snapper (Zoöl.), a bird that catches gnats. -- Gnat strainer, a person ostentatiously punctilious about trifles. Cf. Matt. xxiii. 24.

The goatsucker.

A dead body; a corpse. [Obs.] Lich fowl (Zoöl.), the European goatsucker; -- called also lich owl. -- Lich gate, a covered gate through which the corpse was carried to the church or burial place, and where the bier was placed to await clergyman; a corpse gate. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. -- Lich wake, the wake, or watchi…

The Australian crested goatsucker (Ægotheles Novæ-Hollandiæ). Also applied to other allied birds, as Podargus Cuveiri.

dipterous insect of the genus Bychoda, having fringed wings. -- Moth hunter (Zoöl.), the goatsucker. -- Moth miller (Zoöl.), a clothes moth. See Miller, 3, (a). -- Moth mullein (Bot.), a common herb of the genus Verbascum (V. Blattaria), having large wheel-shaped yellow or whitish flowers.

A goatsucker, esp. the European species. See Illust. of Goatsucker.

A South American bird of the genus Nyctibius, allied to the goatsuckers.

romus albicollis) ranging from Texas to South America. It is allied to the night hawk and goatsucker.

includes the woodpeckers, toucans, trogons, hornbills, kingfishers, motmots, rollers, and goatsuckers. By some writers it is made to include also the cuckoos, swifts, and humming birds.

A large South American goatsucker (Nyctibius grandis).

The goatsucker. [Prov. Eng.]

rmerly written also cisors, cizars, and scissars.] Scissors grinder (Zoöl.), the European goatsucker. [Prov. Eng.]

from its harsh cry before rain. -- Screech rain. -- Screech hawk (Zoöl.), the European goatsucker; -- so called from its note. [Prov. Eng.] -- Screech owl. (Zoöl.) (a) A small American owl (Scops asio), either gray or reddish in color. (b) The European barn owl. The name is applied also to other species.…

A goatsucker; -- so called from the peculiar noise it makes when darting through the air.

A division of passerine birds including the humming birds, swifts, and goatsuckers. It is now generally considered an artificial group.