Etimology Greek

Most of the 754 genera of birds of Colombia have their etimological roots from Old Greek. Few are derived from Latin, last names or places. Some genera have indigenous roots such as Brazilian Tupi (Ara, Toucan, Tangara, Piranga) or from Mexican Nahuatl roots (Colibri). Whereas the species are mostly derived from Latin, or combination Latin-Greek, or latinized forms of names or places. Both genus and species should be written in italics. 

Greek - Griego

Genus Root English Spanish
Acropternis akros pointed puntudo
Acropternis pterne wings alas
Aegolius aigolios bird of bad omen ave de mal agüero
Aglaiocercus aglaia splendor esplendor
Amaurospiza amauros dark oscuro
Amaurospiza spiza sparrow pinzón, gorrión
Ammodramos ammos desert desierto
Ammodramos ammos desert desierto
Ammodramos dromos corridor corredor
Anabacerthia anabates climber trepador
Anairetes anairetes destroyer destructor
Anas anas duck pato
Ancistropus ankistron hook anzuelo
Anisognathus anisos unequal desigual
Anisognathus gnathos lower jaw mandíbula inferior
Anous anous dumb tonto
Anurolimnas an without sin
Aphanotriccus aphanes invisible invisible
Aphriza aphros sea foam espuma de mar
Aramus aramus heron garza
Aramus aramus heron garza
Arremonops arrhemon silent, quite silencioso
Arremonops ops resembling con apariencia de
Asthenes asthenes weak débil
Atalotriccus atalos delicate delicado
Atlapetes atlapetes bird of Atlas  ave del Atlas
Atlapetes petes bird ave
Aulacorhynchus aulax furrow surco
Automolos automolos desertor desertor
Basileuteros basileus regal  realeza
Bolborhynchus bolbos bulb bulbo
Bombycilla bombux silk seda
Bombycilla cilla tail cola
Brotogeris brotegerus human voice voz humana
Calidris kalidris gray bird ave gris
Calliphlox kalliphlox beautiful fire fuego hermoso
Calliphlox phlox fire fire
Campephilus kampe caterpillar oruga
Campephilus philus friend amante
Camptostoma kamptos curved curvado
Capsiempis kapto swallow tragar
Caryothraustes karoun nut nuez
Caryothraustes threnetia shredder triturador
Catamenia katamenia menstrual monthly
Catharus katharos clear, pure limpio, puro
Cephalopterus kephalos head cabeza
Cephalopterus pteros heel tacón
Ceratopipra keras, keratos horn cuerno
Cercibis ibis ibis ibis
Certhiaxis kerkhos creeper ave trepadora
Chaetocercus kaithe hair pelo
Chalybura khalyps steel acero
Chalybura oura, uro, ourus tail cola
Chamaeza khamaze on the soil en la tierra
Chartocerus  karthe hair pelo
Chauna khaunos spongy esponjoso, poroso
Chelidoptera khelidon swallow golondrina
Chiroxiphia kheir (chiro) hand mano
Chlorochrysa khrysos golden dorado
Chlorochrysa kloros green verde
Chloropipo pipo woodpecker carpintero
Chlorospingus khloros green verde
Chlorospingus spingos hammer martillo
Chondrohierax hierax hawk halcón
Chondrohierax khodros thick grueso
Chordeiles deile dusk, sunset atardecer
Chordeiles khoreia dance bailar
Chrysomus krysos gold oro
Cicccaba kikkab, ciccaba owl búho
Cichlopsis opsis looks like que se parece
Circus kirkus circle círculo
Cistothorus kisthos bush matorral
Cistothorus thouros that jumps que salta
Clytactentes klutus prestigious insigne
Clytactentes nantes assassin asesino
Cnemotriccus knemos mountain montaña
Cnemotriccus triccus flycatcher atrapamoscas
Coccyzus coccys squat cuclillo
Colaptes dendrokolaptes woodpecker pájaro carpintero
Contopus kontos sick palo
Corapipo kore puppet títere
Cranioleura kranion skull cráneo
Crax kras head cabeza
Creagrus kreas meat carne
Crotophaga kroton tick garrapata
Cryptorellus kryptos hidden oculto
Cyanocompsa kompsos elegant elegante
Cyanocorax korax crow cuervo
Cyanocorax kyanos dark blue azul oscuro
Cyphorhinus kyphos curved curvo
Daptrius daptes eater comedor
Dekonychura deka ten díez
Dendroexetaste dendron tree árbol
Dendroexetaste exetastes examine examinador
Dendroica oikos live, inhabit vivir, habitar
Deroptyus dera - dero neck, throat cuello
Dixiphia di two dos
Dolichonix dolikhos long largo
Dolichonix onyx nail uña
Doliornis dolius astute astuto
Donacobios bios life vida
Donacobios donax bush carrizo
Doryfera doru spear lanza
Doryfera phero, phoro that bears que lleva
Drymotoxeres drymos forest bosque
Dysithamos dyo jump saltar
Elaenia elaineos olive oliva
Elanus elanus Milano Milan
Empidonax anax teacher maestro
Empidonax empis mosquito mosquito
Empidonomus nomos that feeds on que se alimenta
Entomodestes edestes that eats que come
Erythropus erythros red rojo
Erythropus pous feet patas
Euphonia eu good bueno, excelente
Eurypygia eurus wide amplio
Eutoxeres toxeres arched archeado
Geotlypis geo earth tierra
Geotlypis thlypis small bird ave pequeña
Geotrygon treron dove paloma
Geranoaetus geranos seagull grulla
Glaucidium glaukidion small owl búho pequeño
Glaucis glaukos pale green, greyish blue gris-azul, glauco
Glyphorynchus glypho record grabar
Gymnomystax gymnus naked desnudo
Gymnomystax mystax moustache bigote
Gymnopithys pithys ant-eater hormiguero
Hapalopsittaca hapalos delicate delicado
Heliangelus angelos angel ángel
Helioangelus helios sun sol
Heliodoxa doxa glory gloria
Hemitriccus hemi half, reduced mitad, pequeño
Henicorhina henikos unique único
Henicorhina rhinos nose nariz
Heterocercus heteros different diferente
Hydropogne hydro water agua
Hylocichla hyle forest, jungle bosque, selva
Hypopyrrhus hypo under debajo
Ibycter ibukter war-song singer cantante de guerra
Icterus ikteros yellow amarillo
Ictinia iktinia goshawk azor, milano
Iridosornis iris rainbow iris
Ixobrychus brukhomai lower parts partes inferiores
Ixobrychus ixias similar similar
Knipolegus knips insect insecto
Knipolegus lego catch atrapar
Larosterna laros sea raptor ave rapaz marina
Leptosittaca leptos slender, thin esbelto, delgado, fino
Leptosittaca psittake parrot loro
Leptosittaca sittake related to wookpecker como el carpintero
Lophothrix trix owl buho
Lophotriccus lophos crest cresta
Lophotriccus triccus flycatcher atrapamoscas
Lurocalis kolos, kalis badly developed mal desarrollado
Machaeropterus makhaira knife daga, cuchillo
Machaeropterus pterux winged alado
Machetornis makhetes fighter, warrior luchador, guerrero
Macroagelarius agelaios gregarious gregario
Macroagelarius makros long largo
Malacoptila malakos soft suave
Margarornis margaron pearls perlas
Mecocerculus mekos long largo
Megarynchus mega grande grande
Melanerpes herpes creeper trepador
Melanerpes melas black negro
Melanopogus melania black negro
Melanopogus pogon beard barba
Melanotus notos back espalda
Mesembrinibis mesembrinus meridian meridional, del sur
Metopothrix metopon fruit fruta
Metopothrix thrix hair, feather pelo, pluma
Metriopelia peleia dove paloma
Micrastur astur goshawk azor
Microbates bates walker caminante
Micromonacha mikros small pequeño
Micromonacha monakhos monk monje
Micropygia pyge, pyga huip rabadilla
Mionecte meionektes small pequeño
Mniotilta mnion moss musgo
Mniotilta tillo capture capturar
Molothrus molos battle batalla
Molothrus throsko beget engendrar
Mycteria mukter mouth hocico
Myioborus boros that devours que devora
Myiodynastes dynastes prince, ruler soberano, príncipe
Myiophobus myia - myio fly mosca
Myiophobus phobos flame flama, llama
Myiotheretes myotheras flycatcher cazador de moscas
Myiotheretes theretes hunt cazar
Myiozetetes zeteo that looks for que busca
Myornis mys - mus mouse ratón
Nematura nematus thread hilo
Neochen khen goose ganso
Neocrex krex a ralid bird rálido, gallineta, focha
Neocrex, Neochen neos new nuevo
Neomorphus morphe apperance aparición
Neopelma pelma foot sole planta del pie
Netta netta duck pato
Nomonix nomao that has que posee
Notharchus arkhos leader, boss guía, jefe
Notharchus nothes slow lento
Nothocercus nothos false  falso
Numenius mene moon luna
Nyctiohrinus phryne toad sapo
Nyctipolus nykti night noche
Nyctipolus polos vagabond vagabundo
Oceanodroma okeanos ocean océano
Odontophorus odontophoros with teeth con dientes
Ognorhynchus ogmos wrinkle arruga
Onychoprion prion saw sierra
Opornis opora autumn otoño
Opornis ornis bird ave
Oreothraupis oros mountain montaña
Oreothraupis thraupis tanager (small bird) tángara 
Ortalis ortalis hen, chicken gallina, pollo
Orthonix orthos straight derecho, erguido
Oxyura oxus sharpened afilado
Patagioenas oinas dove paloma
Patagioenas oinas dove paloma
Patagioenas patageo noise ruido
Petrochelidion petros rock roca
Phacellodomus phakellos bunch of twigs manojo de ramitas
Phaeothlypis phaeo brown café
Phaethon phaeton sun sol
Phalacrocorax phalakros bald calvo
Phalaropus phalaris coot focha
Pheucticus pheugo flee huir
Pheugopedius pedion plain llanura
Philomachus makhomai to fight pelear
Phimosus phimus harness cabestro, bozal
Phoebastria phoebastria oracle profetisa
Phoenicircus phoenikeos deep red carmesí
Phoenicomitra mitra crown, lace capucha, coronilla
Phoenicomitra phoeinix red rojo
Pilherodius erodius heron garza
Pilherodius pilos crown copete
Pipreola, Ceratopipra pipra – pipreola small bird ave pequeña
Platyrhynchus platus wide ancho
Poecilotriccus poikilos stained manchado
Polioptila polios gray gris
Polioptila ptilon plumage, feather plumaje, pluma
Porphyrolaema laimos  throat garganta
Porphyrolaema pyrphyra purple purpura
Procnias Procnias transformed into a sparrow Gr. Mitology
Promeropirhynchus merops bee eater que come abejas
Promeropirhynchus pro trunk tronco
Promeropirhynchus rhynkhos beak pico
Psarocolius koloios jackdaw grajilla
Psarocolius psar stornino sturnus, starling
Pseudoscops pseudos false  falso
Pseudoscops scops owl buho
Psittacara kara head cabeza
Pyrrhura pyrrhos red rojo
Ramphocaenos kainos foreign extraño
Ramphocaenos rhampos bill, beak pico
Rhodinocichla kikhle (kh=ch) water thrush mirlo acuático
Rhodinocichla rhodinos rose rosa
Rhynchocyclus kyklos ring anillo, circular
Rostrhamus hamus hook gancho
Rostrhamus rostrum beak pico
Sarkidiornis sarkidion a tiny piece of meat carnitas
Scytalopus skytaleo stick palo, garrote
Selenidera selene moon luna
Sethophaga phagos feeds on que come
Sethophaga seto silverfish polilla
Siptornis sipte-sippe-sitte silverfish polilla
Skleurus skleros rigid rígido
Sphyrapicus pikos guard vigilante
Sphyrapicus sphyra wedged-wing aletas acuñadas
Spizaetus aetos eagle águila
Spizelloides oides that resembles que se parece
Sporophila sporos seed semilla
Stelgidopterix stelgis scraper raspador
Stictolaemus stiktos stained manchado
Streptoprocne atrepto chain cadena
Streptoprocne progne similar similar
Synallaxis syn to shorten acortar
Syndactyla daktylos fingers dedos
Syrigma syrigma whistle silvar
Syristes sirystes flute player flautista
Tachybaptus baptos jump salto
Tachybaptus takhus fast rápido
Tachycineta kinetos movement movimiento
Tachycineta takhukinetos moves fast que se mueve rápido
Thalasseus thalasseus fisher pescador
Thalurania ouranos heaven cielo
Thalurania thalus son hijo
Thectocercus kerkos tail cola
Thectocercus thektos pointed puntudo
Theristicus theriscos harvest cosecha
Tiaris tiaris crown tiara, coronaa
Tigrisoma soma body cuerpo
Tigrisoma tigris tiger tigre
Todirostrum todus small bird ave pequeña
Tolmomylas tolmos daring audaz, osado
Tordus kikhle thrush tordo
Trogon trogon fruit-eater que come fruta
Tyrannus tyrannus tyrant tirano
Tyto tyto owl buho
Uropsalis psalis scissors tijeras
Xenops xenos foreign extraño
Xiphocolaptes kolaptes chisel cincelar
Xiphocolaptes xiphos spade espada
Xipholene olene forearm antebrazo
Zentrygon tri three tres
Zonotrichia zone collar collar
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