文あや目め鳥どり

noun

lesser cuckoo

Rare term for the lesser cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus). The more common name is 時鳥 (ほととぎす), which refers to the same bird or a closely related cuckoo species.

See also: 時鳥

• 「文あや目め鳥どり」はほととぎすの異い名みょうとして古ふるい文ぶん献けんに見みられる。

  文目鳥 appears in old texts as another name for the lesser cuckoo.