Rapacious

Today’s word is rapacious which is an adjective which means:

1. given to seizing for plunder or the satisfaction of greed.

2. inordinately greedy; predatory; extortionate

3. (of animals) subsisting by the capture of living prey; predacious

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Consider, if you will, a House Sparrow, the most common little bird in the continental US after eight pairs were introduced to America in 1850. This little guy is not flashy, like the male Cardinal with his showy plumes of crimson, nor is he particularly lyrical, like the Carolina Wren. He cannot impersonate other birds like the Mockingbird or fly fast enough to catch insects in midair like the Bluebird. Indeed, sparrows possess no particular characteristic that sets them apart for human interest. Most backyard birdwatchers would consider these little guys a rapacious nuisance at their bird-feeder and generally ignore this species as a rule, but these omnivorous, tenacious survivors continue to thrive in spite of human disinterest and discouragement. For that, these little fliers should be respected.

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