[Ads-l] Buzzard grouponyms

[Jonathan Lighter]

MW is also silent on all of the above, including the verb. However, the
recent transitive sense (2009), 'to corral or contain (people) in large
numbers by surrounding and forcing into an enclosed area,' seems related.

JL

On Mon, Dec 27, 2021 at 7:59 AM Amy West <medievalist at w-sts.com> wrote:

> Actually, and I think there are better birders than me here, "kettling"
> is not just flying: it's that circling around an area in the air, and
> it's not just buzzards/vultures that do it. You'll see other raptors do
> it. I am much more familiar with it as a verb than as a noun in birding.
>
> ---Amy West
>
> On 12/27/21 00:00, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
> > There are 2 messages totaling 87 lines in this issue.
> >
> > Topics of the day:
> >
> >    1. Buzzard grouponyms (2)
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Date:    Sun, 26 Dec 2021 11:08:56 -0500
> > From:    Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject: Buzzard grouponyms
> >
> >
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/kat-bergeron-cool-things-learned-060000703.html
> :
> >
> > "Did you know that a group of our buzzard-vultures is called a committee,
> > venue or volt? A flock in flight is a kettle. When they congregate on a
> > feeding ground to share dinner, that’s called a wake."
> >
> > Almost needless to say, none of these terms is in OED.
> >
> > JL
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>


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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org