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dunkadoo

A New Jersey regional dialect name for the American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), a secretive wading bird.

ˈdʌŋkəˌdu152 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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#1·Apr 28, 2026

A New Jersey regional dialect name for the American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), a secretive wading bird. The name is almost certainly imitative of the bird's distinctive booming call. Dialect bird names like this are fascinating linguistic artefacts, though largely unknown outside the immediate region.

Locals called the bird a dunkadoo for the hollow thumping sound it made from the reeds at dusk.
Origin: Likely imitative of the American bittern's distinctive booming call; a regional New Jersey dialectal name. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(US, chiefly, New Jersey) The American bittern.

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