Hen n. Zool. The female of the domestic fowl; also, the female of grouse, pheasants, or any kind of birds; as, the heath hen; the gray hen.
Note: ☞ Used adjectively or in combination to indicate the female; as, hen canary, hen eagle, hen turkey, peahen.
Hen clam. Zool. (a) A clam of the Mactra, and allied genera; the sea clam or surf clam. See Surf clam. (b) A California clam of the genus Pachydesma.
Hen driver. See Hen harrier (below).
Hen harrier Zool., a hawk (Circus cyaneus), found in Europe and America; -- called also dove hawk, henharm, henharrow, hen driver, and usually, in America, marsh hawk. See Marsh hawk.
Hen hawk Zool., one of several species of large hawks which capture hens; esp., the American red-tailed hawk (Buteo borealis), the red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus), and the goshawk.
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