What if you don't recognise an aircraft ATC is telling you about? Often an ATS will warn you about other aircraft: when you're taxying and need to give way, or for land-after (and other conditional) clearances, or to warn of traffic in the area you're flying in. Usually they do this by naming the type of the traffic, and often you need to positively confirm whether you have the traffic in sight. For example:-


  "G-ABCD, report departing Squirrel in sight"
  "Affirm, traffic in sight, G-ABCD."
  "G-ABCD, behind the Squirrel, cross runway 18 behind, report vacated."
  "Behind the Squirrel, cross runway 18, wilco, G-ABCD."


What if the type of aircraft you're warned about is one you don't know? In an area with lots of vintage or experimental aircraft, you might not even know whether to look for a fixed-wing or a helo. I wouldn't want to say I have the traffic in sight if there's a risk I'm not looking at the same aircraft.


  "G-ABCD, report departing Squirrel in sight"
  "The what? Is there wildlife on the runway? G-ABCD"


Is there a standard way to explain the situation and disambiguate? Failing that, is there a concise way that will not be misunderstood over noisy radios?



(For the benefit of other readers who wouldn't recognise a Squirrel: it's a helicopter, and the local police operate one out of Cambridge. It was the first obscure-sounding aircraft name I could think of to use as an example.)
To add to Dave's answer, if traffic is pointed out to you which you are unfamiliar with, ask for clarification. ATC or FIS will have a good understanding of aircraft types and speeds, especially in radar environments the speed will be available as groundspeed (GS).


  FIS: DELFF, traffic information, 3 o'clock, 4 miles, same altitude, Mooney Bravo, passing right to left.
  PIC: DELFF, unfamiliar with aircraft type.
  FIS: DELFF, traffic is a low wing aircraft, 100kt groundspeed