Celtic cognates - Birds

This page contains words for birds that are cognate in all or most of the six modern Celtic languages.

Click on the English versions that are links and you will be taken to the Celtiadur, where you can see what each word means, and how some of them are pronounced. There are also details of related words and expressions, and words in older versions of the Celtic languages, such as Middle Welsh and Old Irish. More Celtic Cognates

Birds

These words are cognate in all six Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English (Latin)
coileach	coileach	kellagh	ceiliog	kulyek	kilhog	cockerel rooster
colm colmán	calman colman	calmane colmane	colomen clomen	kolom	koulm koulom	pigeon dove
corr	corra	coar	crychydd	kerghydh	kerc'heiz	heron stork crane
druid	druid	truitlag	drudwy	trojen	tred tridig	starling
eala	eala	olla(y)	alarch	alargh	alarc'h	swan
éan	eun	eean	edn* aderyn	edhen	evn	bird
eireog	eireag	earrag	iar	yar	yar	hen chicken
faoileán faoileog	faoileann faoileag	foillan foilleig fooilleig	gwylan	golan	gouelan	seagull
gé	gèadh	guiy	gwydd	goedh	gwaz	goose
gealbhan	gealbhonn	gialloon giallun giallyn jallyn	golfan	golvan	golvan	sparrow
iolar	iolair	urley	eryr	er	erer	eagle
seabhac	seabhag	shawk shirragh	hebog gwalch	hok	gwalc'h	falcon hawk

These words are cognate in some of the Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
aí, a(o)i	ai		hwyaden	hos	houad	duck swan
lacha	lach	laagh				duck
tonóg	tunnag	thunnag				duck
bran	bran		brân	bran	bran	crow raven
feannóg	feannag	fannag				crow rook
fiach	fitheach	feeagh	gwyach			raven grebe crake
			boda bwncath	bargos	baou	buzzard
clamhán	clamhan	clowan				buzzard
	stannaire searrach-ruadh	stannair shirragh shyrragh-ruy				buzzard
cailleach oíche	cailleach-oidhche	caillagh oie				owl
	comhachag		cuan	kowann cowan	kaouenn	owl
			tylluan		toud	owl
ulchabhán	ullaid	hullad		oula		owl
cearc	cearc	kiark				hen chicken
cnagaire snag darach	cnag	snoggeyder	caseg	kasek	kazeg koad	woodpecker
			crëyr		*querhair	heron
			ehedydd hedydd	evidit* ahwesydh	ehuedez* alc'hweder	(sky)lark
fuiseog	uiseag	ushag				(sky)lark bird
fabhcún	faolchon		ffawcwn ffawlcwn	falghun	falc'hun	falcon hawk
fáinleog áinleog	fainnleag ainnleag		gwennol	gwennol	gwennel	swallow swallow martin
gabhlán gabhlán gaoithe	gòbhlan gobhlan-gaoithe	gollan gollan geayee				swallow swift swallow martin
lon lon dubh	lon lòn-dubh	lhondoo lhonnag				blackbird thrush ouzel
smólach	smeòrach smèarach smaolach		mwyalch	molgh molgh dhu	moualc'h moualc'h zu	blackbird thrush ouzel
truis	druid	treshlen	tresglen		dresk	blackbird thrush ouzel
scréachóg scréachóg choille	sgreuchag sgreuchag-choille	screeaghag screeaghag cheylley	sgrechog (y)sgrech y coed	kegin	kegin kegin-derv	jay
snag breac meaig	athaid	pieanat	pioden	piasenn	pig	magpie
spideog	brù-dhearg nighidh pigidh roban-roid	spittag	brongoch	rudhek	boc'hruz	robin

Geirfa Natur (Nature Glossary) - words for animals, birds, fish and other creatures in the modern Celtic language (Excel format, provided by Gwyn Harrison)

Celtic cognates

Celtiadur

A collection of Celtic cognates, with definitions, pronunciation, etymologies - includes the modern Celtic languages, older versions of these languages, such as Middle Welsh, Old Irish, and their extinct and reconstructed relatives and ancestors, including Gaulish, Celtiberian, Proto-Brythonic and Proto-Celtic.

Notes

eean in Manx means chick, fowl, or young bird
* Words with an asterisk are archaic or obsolete

[top]

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Information about Celtic languages

Breton, Celtiberian, Cornish, Cumbric, Gaulish, Irish, Lepontic, Lusitanian, Manx, Scottish Gaelic, Tartessian, Welsh

Why not share this page:

If you need to type in many different languages, the Q International Keyboard can help. It enables you to type almost any language that uses the Latin, Cyrillic or Greek alphabets, and is free.

If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways. Omniglot is how I make my living.

Learn a new language fun, fast and easy! Get 90% off Mondly!

Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.