twite

plural twites

1. A small passerine bird, Linaria flavirostris (syn. Carduelis flavirostris), that breeds in northern Europe and across central Asia.

   With subsequent climate warming, Twites in Europe followed the tundra north and became isolated.

   2007, Simon Wood, The Birds of Essex, page 557

   2 more examples

   The Twite has the distinction of being the only European bird derived from the Tibetan fauna type.

   1976, J. T. R. Sharrock, The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland, page 420

   Twites also breed in southwest and central Asia – at up to 3,500 m asl in Tibet – and it is supposed that the European relict populations became isolated during the retreat of the ice age (Voous 1960).

   1986, Valerie M. Thom, Birds in Scotland, page 331

   Synonyms: heather lintie, mountain linnet

present singular third person twites · participle present twiting · participle past twited · past twited · participle past twit · past twit

1. obsoleteObsolete form of twit.