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brown tree snake
noun
: a large mildly venomous arboreal colubrid snake (Boiga irregularis) of northern Australia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands that has been accidentally introduced into other areas (such as Guam)
Examples of brown tree snake in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s nothing particularly spectacular about the brown tree snake.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
The brown tree snake was an alien in its new home, free of natural predators.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
In 1988, they were believed to have been extinct as prey to the brown tree snake.
—Marina Watts, Peoplemag, 24 Sep. 2024
In Guam, the venomous brown tree snake — which is native to Papua New Guinea and Australia — wiped out 10 of the island’s 12 native forest birds after it was introduced to the territory in the mid-20th century.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 21 May 2024
Though the brown tree snake was accidentally brought to Guam, new snake species are being introduced to Ireland on purpose.
—Sarah Fecht, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024
On Guam, for instance, the voracious brown tree snake has already driven several native birds to extinction.
—Dino Grandoni, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Sep. 2023
After all, invasive snakes have been known to wreak havoc on island ecosystems; look no further than Guam, where the invasive brown tree snake is infamous for killing native lizards and birds.
—Marisa Sloan, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2023
The brown tree snake has devastated Guam's native birds, for example, and officials are terrified that the islands of Hawaii are going to be its next conquest.
—Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2015
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Word History
First Known Use
1926, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near brown tree snake
Cite this Entry
“Brown tree snake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brown%20tree%20snake. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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