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Angliholic Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Migrant/migrating birds

Migrant birds fly to the tropics for the winter.

Hi,

Is "migrant birds" in the above equal to "migrating birds?" Thanks.
  

Top answer

For all practical purposes and with reference only to this sentence, the two are equal. In a general statement such as the one you quoted, it doesn't matter so much which you use. However, you may be looking at a flock of birds which do migrate, and say correctly, when it is not the season for migrating, "These are migrant birds, but at the moment they are not migrating birds".

— CalifJim

  • For all practical purposes and with reference only to this sentence, the two are equal.
  • In a general statement such as the one you quoted, it doesn't matter so much which you use.
  • However, you may be looking at a flock of birds which do migrate, and say correctly, when it is not the season for migrating, "These are migrant birds, but at the moment they are not migrating birds".
  • CJ
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1 Answers
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For all practical purposes and with reference only to this sentence, the two are equal. In a general statement such as the one you quoted, it doesn't matter so much which you use.

However, you may be looking at a flock of birds which do migrate, and say correctly, when it is not the season for migrating, "These are migrant birds, but at the moment they are not migrating birds".

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