the.com/kittiwake
A gull that screams its own name off cliffs for fun.
means A small, slender gull with black-tipped wings that nests in noisy, crowded colonies on sea cliffs rather than on open ground like most gulls.
from Pure onomatopoeia — the name mimics the bird's own call, a sharp, rhythmic 'kitti-waaake' cried out over and over from ledges. English speakers simply wrote down what they heard, making the kittiwake one of the rare birds that named itself.
- name origin
- named for its kitti-waaake call, not a person
- habitat
- nests on sheer cliff ledges, unlike most gulls
- diet
- true seafarer, rarely scavenges trash like other gulls
- status
- red-listed in UK, declining fast from warming seas