蜀しょく鳥ちょう

noun

lesser cuckoo

Rare term for the lesser cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus). In modern Japanese, this bird is almost always referred to as ホトトギス or 時鳥.

See also: 時鳥

• 蜀しょく鳥ちょうは、古ふるい文ぶん献けんでホトトギスを指さすことがある。

  In old texts, 蜀鳥 can refer to the lesser cuckoo (ホトトギス).