liath-chearc

Scottish Gaelic

Noun

liath-chearc f (genitive singular liath-chirce, plural liath-chearcan)

1. heath hen, female black grouse

   Am faca tu liath-chearc a-raoir? ― Did you see a heath hen last night? (traditionally asked of someone looking pale and worried; the bird was considered a bad omen)

Related terms

• coileach-dubh (“male black grouse”)
• dùrd dùrd (“onomatopoeic sound of a black grouse”)

References

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “liath-chearc”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN