 The genus name Melanoptila is a compound word created from two Greek words : melas , meaning " black " and ptilon , meaning " plumage " . This and the " black " of the bird 's common name are a straightforward reference to its general appearance . The species name <unk> is a combination of two Latin words : glaber , meaning " smooth or hairless " and <unk> , meaning " beak " ( rostrum ) . This is a reference to the very small rictal bristles which surround the black catbird 's beak , in marked comparison to the prominent bristles found on the gray catbird . 
