
Grimoire Vocabulary — Birds
The birds of Ireland in Irish, from fáinleog (swallow) and spideog (robin) to préachán (crow) and faoileán (seagull). Each has its pronunciation and source.
71 entries in this theme. Use the search box below to find a specific word, or scroll the table.
Search just within Birds entries. Type an English word or an Irish one — accents optional.
| Irish | Ogham | How to say it | English | Source | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| albatras | ᚛ᚐᚂᚁᚐᚈᚏᚐᚄ᚜ | AH-lbuh-truhs | albatross | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| bheith ag bíogarnach | ᚛ᚁᚆᚓᚔᚈᚆ ᚐᚌ ᚁᚔᚑᚌᚐᚏᚅᚐᚉᚆ᚜ | VEH-uhh AHG BEE-uh-guh-rnuhkh | chirp | FoclóirTeanglann | |
| broigheall | ᚛ᚁᚏᚑᚔᚌᚆᚓᚐᚂᚂ᚜ | BRIH-yall | cormorant | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| bíog | ᚛ᚁᚔᚑᚌ᚜ | BEE-uhg | tweet | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| cearc | ᚛ᚉᚓᚐᚏᚉ᚜ | kyark | hen | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Hen. Older Irish word. |
| ceolaire | ᚛ᚉᚓᚑᚂᚐᚔᚏᚓ᚜ | KOH-luh-uh-ruh | warbler | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| clamhán | ᚛ᚉᚂᚐᚋᚆᚐᚅ᚜ | KLOW-awn | buzzard | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| cleite | ᚛ᚉᚂᚓᚔᚈᚓ᚜ | KLEH-uh-tuh | feather | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| clúmh | ᚛ᚉᚂᚒᚋᚆ᚜ | KLOOW | plumage | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| cnagaire | ᚛ᚉᚅᚐᚌᚐᚔᚏᚓ᚜ | KNAH-guh-uh-ruh | woodpecker | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| coileach | ᚛ᚉᚑᚔᚂᚓᚐᚉᚆ᚜ | KIL-ukh | cock | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Rooster. Crows at dawn. |
| coirneach | ᚛ᚉᚑᚔᚏᚅᚓᚐᚉᚆ᚜ | KIH-rnakh | osprey | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| colm | ᚛ᚉᚑᚂᚋ᚜ | KUHLM | dove | TatoebagaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| colúr | ᚛ᚉᚑᚂᚒᚏ᚜ | KUH-loor | pigeon | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| corr réisc | ᚛ᚉᚑᚏᚏ ᚏᚓᚔᚄᚉ᚜ | KUHRR RAY-uhshk | heron | FoclóirTeanglann | |
| crann tógála | ᚛ᚉᚏᚐᚅᚅ ᚈᚑᚌᚐᚂᚐ᚜ | KRAHNN TOH-gaw-luh | crane | FoclóirTeanglann | |
| crobh | ᚛ᚉᚏᚑᚁᚆ᚜ | KRUHW | talon | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| cromán | ᚛ᚉᚏᚑᚋᚐᚅ᚜ | KRUM-awn | harrier | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Hen harrier. |
| cruidín | ᚛ᚉᚏᚒᚔᚇᚔᚅ᚜ | krih-DEEN | kingfisher | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| cuach | ᚛ᚉᚒᚐᚉᚆ᚜ | KOO-ukh | cuckoo | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Cuckoo. The cuckoo’s call traditionally announces summer in Ireland. |
| dreoilín | ᚛ᚇᚏᚓᚑᚔᚂᚔᚅ᚜ | DROH-leen | wren | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Wren. The ‘king of all birds’ in folktale, hunted on St Stephen’s Day (26 December) in the Wren Boys tradition. |
| druid | ᚛ᚇᚏᚒᚔᚇ᚜ | DRIHD | starling | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| eala | ᚛ᚓᚐᚂᚐ᚜ | A-luh | swan | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| ealta | ᚛ᚓᚐᚂᚈᚐ᚜ | A-ltuh | flock | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| eitilt | ᚛ᚓᚔᚈᚔᚂᚈ᚜ | EH-uh-tuhlt | flight | WiktionaryTatoebagaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| fabhcún | ᚛ᚃᚐᚁᚆᚉᚒᚅ᚜ | FOW-koon | falcon | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| faoileáil | ᚛ᚃᚐᚑᚔᚂᚓᚐᚔᚂ᚜ | FEE-uh-law-uhl | hover | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| faoileán | ᚛ᚃᚐᚑᚔᚂᚓᚐᚅ᚜ | FEE-uh-lawn | gull | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| fara | ᚛ᚃᚐᚏᚐ᚜ | FAH-ruh | roost | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| feadóg | ᚛ᚃᚓᚐᚇᚑᚌ᚜ | FA-dohg | plover | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| fiach | ᚛ᚃᚔᚐᚉᚆ᚜ | FEE-ukh | raven | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Raven. Sacred to the Morrigan — battle-goddess of Ireland. |
| filiméala | ᚛ᚃᚔᚂᚔᚋᚓᚐᚂᚐ᚜ | FIH-luh-may-uh-luh | nightingale | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| fuiseog | ᚛ᚃᚒᚔᚄᚓᚑᚌ᚜ | FISH-ohg | lark | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Lark. Sings on the wing, high above the meadows. |
| fáinleog | ᚛ᚃᚐᚔᚅᚂᚓᚑᚌ᚜ | FAWN-lohg | swallow | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Swallow. Returns each spring to the same eaves. |
| gainéad | ᚛ᚌᚐᚔᚅᚓᚐᚇ᚜ | GAH-uh-nay-uhd | gannet | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| gealbhan | ᚛ᚌᚓᚐᚂᚁᚆᚐᚅ᚜ | GAL-uh-vun | sparrow | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Sparrow. |
| gealóg | ᚛ᚌᚓᚐᚂᚑᚌ᚜ | GA-lohg | bunting | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| gearrcach | ᚛ᚌᚓᚐᚏᚏᚉᚐᚉᚆ᚜ | GA-rrkuhkh | fledgling | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| giob | ᚛ᚌᚔᚑᚁ᚜ | GIH-uhb | peck | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| glasán | ᚛ᚌᚂᚐᚄᚐᚅ᚜ | GLAH-sawn | finch | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| gluais go réidh | ᚛ᚌᚂᚒᚐᚔᚄ ᚌᚑ ᚏᚓᚔᚇᚆ᚜ | GLOO-UH-uhsh GUH RAY-uhy | glide | FoclóirTeanglann | |
| gob | ᚛ᚌᚑᚁ᚜ | GUHB | beak | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| gobadán | ᚛ᚌᚑᚁᚐᚇᚐᚅ᚜ | GUH-buh-dawn | sandpiper | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| gé | ᚛ᚌᚓ᚜ | gay | goose | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Goose. |
| imirce | ᚛ᚔᚋᚔᚏᚉᚓ᚜ | IH-muh-rkuh | migration | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| iolar | ᚛ᚔᚑᚂᚐᚏ᚜ | UL-ur | eagle | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Eagle. The white-tailed eagle is back in Ireland after a century’s absence. |
| iolar fíoruisce | ᚛ᚔᚑᚂᚐᚏ ᚃᚔᚑᚏᚒᚔᚄᚉᚓ᚜ | IL-ur FEER-ish-kuh | white-tailed eagle | Foclóir | White-tailed eagle (sea eagle). Reintroduced to Ireland in the 21st century after a century’s absence. |
| lacha | ᚛ᚂᚐᚉᚆᚐ᚜ | LAH-khuh | duck | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Duck. |
| lasairéan | ᚛ᚂᚐᚄᚐᚔᚏᚓᚐᚅ᚜ | LAH-suh-uh-ray-uhn | flamingo | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| lon dubh | ᚛ᚂᚑᚅ ᚇᚒᚁᚆ᚜ | lun duv | blackbird | FoclóirTeanglann | Blackbird. Literally ‘black ousel.’ The bird of the dawn chorus, prized for its song. |
| nead | ᚛ᚅᚓᚐᚇ᚜ | NAD | nest | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| pearóid | ᚛ᚚᚓᚐᚏᚑᚔᚇ᚜ | PA-roh-uhd | parrot | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| pioc | ᚛ᚚᚔᚑᚉ᚜ | PIH-uhk | preen | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| pocaire gaoithe | ᚛ᚚᚑᚉᚐᚔᚏᚓ ᚌᚐᚑᚔᚈᚆᚓ᚜ | PUH-kuh-uh-ruh GEE-uh-huh | kestrel | WiktionaryFoclóirTeanglann | |
| préachán | ᚛ᚚᚏᚓᚐᚉᚆᚐᚅ᚜ | PRAY-khawn | crow | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Crow. |
| puifín | ᚛ᚚᚒᚔᚃᚔᚅ᚜ | pih-FEEN | puffin | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| pór | ᚛ᚚᚑᚏ᚜ | POHR | breed | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| sciathán | ᚛ᚄᚉᚔᚐᚈᚆᚐᚅ᚜ | SHKEE-UH-hawn | wing | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| scréachóg | ᚛ᚄᚉᚏᚓᚐᚉᚆᚑᚌ᚜ | SHKRAY-uh-khohg | jay | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| seabhac | ᚛ᚄᚓᚐᚁᚆᚐᚉ᚜ | SHOW-uk | falcon | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Hawk or falcon. Used in poetry as a symbol of swiftness. |
| sicín | ᚛ᚄᚔᚉᚔᚅ᚜ | shi-KEEN | chick | WiktionaryTatoebagaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Chicken. The diminutive ending -ín shifts the stress. |
| slog | ᚛ᚄᚂᚑᚌ᚜ | SLUHG | swallow | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| smólach | ᚛ᚄᚋᚑᚂᚐᚉᚆ᚜ | SMOH-lukh | thrush | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Thrush. Famous for its song. |
| snag breac | ᚛ᚄᚅᚐᚌ ᚁᚏᚓᚐᚉ᚜ | SNAHG BRAK | magpie | WiktionaryFoclóirTeanglann | |
| spideog | ᚛ᚄᚚᚔᚇᚓᚑᚌ᚜ | SPID-yohg | robin | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Robin. The little Christmas bird with the red breast. |
| storc | ᚛ᚄᚈᚑᚏᚉ᚜ | STUHRK | stork | gaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| tar amach | ᚛ᚈᚐᚏ ᚐᚋᚐᚉᚆ᚜ | TAHR AH-muhkh | hatch | FoclóirTeanglann | |
| tum | ᚛ᚈᚒᚋ᚜ | TUHM | dive | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | |
| téigh ar fara | ᚛ᚈᚓᚔᚌᚆ ᚐᚏ ᚃᚐᚏᚐ᚜ | TAY-uhy AHR FAH-ruh | perch | FoclóirTeanglann | |
| téigh in airde go mór | ᚛ᚈᚓᚔᚌᚆ ᚔᚅ ᚐᚔᚏᚇᚓ ᚌᚑ ᚋᚑᚏ᚜ | TAY-uhy IHN AH-uh-rduh GUH MOHR | soar | FoclóirTeanglann | |
| ulchabhán | ᚛ᚒᚂᚉᚆᚐᚁᚆᚐᚅ᚜ | UL-uh-khuh-vawn | owl | WiktionarygaelspellFoclóirTeanglann | Owl. A bird of omens in Irish folklore. |
