What is "fowls"

Fowl \Fowl\ (foul), n. Note: Instead of the pl. Fowls the singular is often used collectively. [OE. foul, fowel, foghel, fuhel, fugel, AS. fugol; akin to OS. fugal D. & G. vogel, OHG. fogal, Icel. & Dan. fugl, Sw. fogel, f[*a]gel, Goth. fugls; of unknown origin, possibly by loss of l, from the root of E. fly, or akin to E. fox, as being a tailed animal.]

1. Any bird; esp., any large edible bird.

   Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air.
   --Gen. i. 26.

   Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not.
   --Matt. vi. 26.

   Like a flight of fowl Scattered by winds and high tempestuous gusts.
   --Shak.

2. Any domesticated bird used as food, as a hen, turkey, duck; in a more restricted sense, the common domestic cock or hen ( Gallus domesticus).

   Barndoor fowl, or Barnyard fowl, a fowl that frequents the barnyard; the common domestic cock or hen.

n. (plural of fowl English) vb. (en-third-person singular of: fowl)