勧かん農のう鳥ちょう

noun

lesser cuckoo

Rare alternate name for the lesser cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus), a bird more commonly known as 時鳥 (ほととぎす). The name 勧農鳥 (literally 'encourage-farming bird') reflects the belief that its call signals the start of the farming season.

See also: 時鳥

• 勧かん農のう鳥ちょうは、ほととぎすの別べつ名めいとして古ふるい文ぶん献けんに見みられることがある。

  The name 勧農鳥 can be found in old documents as an alternate name for the lesser cuckoo.