thornbird
Domed nest architect
A thornbird is any of several Australian birds that build elaborate dome-shaped nests incorporating thorns and twigs, particularly species of the genus Acanthiza.
The word gained wider recognition from Colleen McCullough's 1977 novel *The Thorn Birds*, which draws on the legend of a bird that impales itself on a thorn to sing one perfect song before dying—a metaphor for beautiful suffering.
High-volume publication
- sagaExtended heroic narrative
- epicImpressively grand in scope
- RalphMale given name
- AustraliaSouthern Hemisphere continent-country
Meggie · outback · forbidden love · Catholic · priest · generations · romance · tragedy
Suffering for conviction
- self-destructionDeliberately causing one's downfall
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
redemption · longing · penance · selflessness · crucifixion · surrender · dedication · obsession
Traditional explanatory tale
- fableMoral tale with animals
- allegorySymbolic tale with deeper meaning
- loreTraditional knowledge transmitted orally
- parableInstructive allegorical narrative
symbolism · metaphor · folklore · tale · Celtic · Irish · songbird · pierced
bestseller
High-volume publication
Meggie · Australia · outback · forbidden love · Catholic · priest · generations · romance · tragedy · miniseries
martyrdom
Suffering for conviction
- self-destructionDeliberately causing one's downfall
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
atonement · redemption · longing · penance · selflessness · crucifixion · surrender · dedication · obsession · torment
myth
Traditional explanatory tale
- fableMoral tale with animals
- allegorySymbolic tale with deeper meaning
- loreTraditional knowledge transmitted orally
parable · symbolism · metaphor · folklore · tale · Celtic · Irish · songbird · pierced · death song
butcherbird
Prey-impaling songbird
passerine · predatory · beak · songbird · hunting · spines · skewering · loggerhead · territorial · thicket
- ovenbirdsovenbird, spinetail, firewood-gatherer, woodcreeper
thornbirdweaverbird
Bird building woven nests
weaver · oriole · bowerbird · tailorbird · sunbird
thornbirdwaterbird
Avian that frequents lakes
kingfisher · heron · swallow · forest bird
bird, thorn, throne, thorny, thorns, birding, birdlike, thorned, birder