nightingale
noun
night·in·gale
ˈnī-tᵊn-ˌgāl
-tiŋ-
plural nightingales
: an Old World flycatcher (Luscinia megarhynchos synonym Erithacus megarhynchos) that has a brown back, a reddish tail, and cream or white underparts and that is noted for the sweet usually nocturnal song of the male
The nightingale has twenty-four basic songs, but gains wild variety by varying the internal arrangement of phrases and the length of pauses.—Lewis Thomas
also
: any of various other birds noted for their sweet song or for singing at night
—often used with a qualifier indicating location
… the beautiful silver purity of the white-throated sparrow—the nightingale of the North … —Stewart Edward White
… the "lonesome" whippoorwill, the American nightingale … —Phil Patton
Mockingbirds sing a medley copied from more than 40 other birds, singing each birdcall two or three times before changing to a new tune. … Because of the mockingbird's beautiful voice, it is sometimes called the American nightingale. —Lee Belanger
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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