This is the 7461st most frequent Japanese word.
偵察
"偵察" means "reconnaissance" or "scouting."
偵察 is used here in a direct military sense, referring to reconnaissance activities aimed at gathering information.
軍隊は敵の動きを知るために偵察を行った。
The army conducted reconnaissance to learn the enemy's movements.
偵察 is metaphorically applied to describe the bird's exploratory actions in its environment.
その鳥は、巣を作る前に周囲を偵察していた。
The bird was scouting around before making a nest.
偵察 is used colloquially to refer to exploring or familiarizing oneself with a new area.