Ptarmigan is a French spelling of the Gaelic tarmachan. What the word means is unknown, though it should be noted that there is, in Gaelic, a verb tarmaich, to gather, with which tarmachan may have some connection.
Pheasant, the bird from the Phasis, a river in Transcaucasia (Colchis), now called the Rion.
Partridge, from the French perdrix, which, with the intrusion of a "r," comes from the Latin perdix—a word probably imitative of the cock bird's call.
Quail, lit. "the quacker." A contraction of Low Latin quaquila.
Rail is imitative, from the Old French raller, to rattle in the throat.
Coot, "the shortened bird," is a Celtic word. The Welsh name is cwtiar, the short-tailed hen. Cf. cut, to make short.
Crane is probably imitative, and connected with a root gar, to call, as in garrulus.
Bustard is a corruption of avistard = Latin avis tarda, the slow bird. Cf. Ostrich, which = avis struthio.
Dotterel, "the silly bird," comes from dote, to be foolish. Our slang word "dotty" has the same origin.
Plover, "the rain bird," comes, through the French pluvier, from the Latin pluvarius, belonging to rain. The restlessness of Plovers before rain is well known.
Lapwing was in Middle English lappëwinkë. Lappë = hleápe, from hleápan, "to spring," and winkë means "a twitching movement from side to side." The connection between these meanings and the bird's irregular mode of flight is clearly seen. The word does not mean "wing-flapper."
Snipe, at one time variously spelt Snype or Snyte—in allusion to the bird's characteristic "snout" or bill.
Dunlin = dunling, the little dun bird, -ling is a diminutive ending, and appears in gosling, duckling, starling, nestling, &c.
Stint = the stunted bird.
Knot is traditionally supposed to mean "Knut's (Canute's) bird," though for what reason it is impossible now to say. However, this monarch had a berry (viz. the Knout-berry), so he may have had a bird as well.
Whimbrel = whimmerel, imitative of its cry.
