A songbird is a bird that can make musical sounds — a bird that sings rather than just squawks or croaks. Robins, blackbirds, nightingales, canaries and sparrows are songbirds.

A songbird is songbird是 a bird that can make musical sounds一種會發出悅耳聲音的鳥 — a bird that sings rather than just squawks or croaks是會唱歌、而不是只會尖叫或呱呱叫的鳥. Robins, blackbirds, nightingales, canaries and sparrows知更鳥、烏鶇、夜鶯、金絲雀和麻雀 are songbirds都是songbird.

In everyday English that is all the word means, and people use it warmly: songbirds are the small pleasant birds in your garden at dawn.

In everyday English在日常英文裡, that is all the word means這個詞的意思就是這樣, and people use it warmly大家用起來也帶著溫暖的感覺: songbirds are the small pleasant birds in your garden at dawnsongbird指的是清晨在你花園裡、討人喜歡的小鳥.

Scientists use it more narrowly, for a very large group of birds (about half of all bird species) whose throats are built for complex sound, and some birds in that group — crows, for instance — count as songbirds to a scientist even though nobody enjoys their singing.

Scientists use it more narrowly科學家用得比較窄, for a very large group of birds指的是一大群鳥類 (about half of all bird species大約佔所有鳥類種類的一半) whose throats are built for complex sound牠們的喉部構造是為了發出複雜的聲音而生的, and some birds in that group這個群體裡的某些鳥 — crows, for instance比如烏鴉 — count as songbirds to a scientist在科學家眼中也算是songbird, even though nobody enjoys their singing儘管沒有人喜歡聽牠們叫.

Two more honest details. First, in most species it is the male that sings, and he is usually not singing from happiness; he is claiming territory or looking for a mate.

Two more honest details還有兩個老實說的細節. First第一, in most species在大多數物種裡 it is the male that sings唱歌的是雄鳥, and he is usually not singing from happiness而牠通常不是因為快樂而唱; he is claiming territory or looking for a mate牠是在宣示地盤，或是在找伴侶.

Second, the word gets used for people, almost always for a woman with a beautiful singing voice — 'the songbird of her generation'. That use is affectionate but old-fashioned now, and some people find it a bit sweet or patronising when applied to a grown professional singer.

Second第二, the word gets used for people這個詞也會用在人身上, almost always for a woman with a beautiful singing voice幾乎都是指嗓音優美的女性 — 'the songbird of her generation''the songbird of her generation'. That use is affectionate but old-fashioned now這種用法帶著親切感，但現在有點過時了, and when applied to a grown professional singer用在一位成熟的職業歌手身上, some people find it a bit sweet or patronising有些人會覺得有點甜膩，甚至帶點居高臨下的味道.