Glossary of Bird Terms

Related to birds range or habitat:
accidental
Bird found beyond their normal range. Straying, blown off course, capture and release, and other events might place individual birds in regions where they are not expected.
extinct
No living members of the species remains anywhere on earth.
extirpated
Locally extinct, usually a result of habitat change. Populations of extirpated species or breeders once found in the local region can still be found in other states or other countries.
pelagic
Living on the open ocean rather than coastal or inland bodies of water.
hybridize
When birds have parents from different species. Often occurs where range overlaps.
irruptive
When many birds show up in an unexpected region or off-season. Most irruptions are probably caused by a lack of food in the normal range, and happen during the winter.

Bird Behavior

dabbling
rather than diving for food, dabbling ducks feed by tipping forward to eat food found along the bottom of shallow lakes, rivers or ponds, leaving their back end above water with their tails pointing up in the air.
nocturnal
active at night.

Identification marks or anatomy (see chart):

abdomen
bottom part of the bird. Also: belly.
alula
Three feathers springing from the base of the primaries. Also: alular quills.
breast
Front part of the chest.
breast band
Stripe across the breast.
breast spot
Small, differently colored area on the breast.
cap
Top of the crown.
cere
Fleshy area between the beak and face.
cheek
Area of head below eye and above the neck.
chest
Front part of the body.
chin
Part of the face below the bill.
collar
Rear portion of crown. Also: nape, hindneck.
comb
Colored area over eye found in males.
crest
Tuft on the head.
undertail coverts
Feathers covering underside of base of tail. Also: crissum
crown
Top of the head.
dihedral
Wings of a flying bird held at an angle appearing to form a “V.”
ear patch
Area around ear opening.
ears
Rounded, earlike areas on the face. Also: facial discs.
eye line
Line of feathers in front of and behind the eye.
eye ring
Pale-colored feathers encircling the eye.
eyebrow
Line of feathers above the eye. Also superciliary line
facial discs
Rounded, earlike areas on the face.
Terminal part of the leg.
flank
Area between the belly and the wings, more posterior.
flank stripe
Band on the flanks.
flight feathers
Primaries and secondaries on the wings.
forehead
Part of the face above the eyes
gorget
Iridescent throat feathers on a hummingbird.
greater secondary coverts
Feathers overlying bases of secondaries.
head stripes
Bold lines on the head.
hindhead
Rear portion of crown. Also: occiput.
horns
Paired contour feathers arising from head.
inner primaries
Group of primaries closest to the body.
inner secondaries
Group of secondaries closest to the body.
inner wing
Shoulder, secondaries and secondary coverts
lore
Area between the eye and the bill.
lower mandible
Lower part of the bill.
malar stripe
Area at the sides of the chin. Also: whisker, mustache, malar streak.
mantle
Upper surface of the wings and the back.
mustache
Area at the sides of the chin. Also: whisker, malar streak
nape
Back of the neck. Also: hindneck, collar.
neck patch
Inflatable sac on neck used by males in courtship display
occiput
Rear portion of crown. Also: hindhead.
outer primaries
Group of primaries farthest from the body.
outer secondaries
Group of secondaries farthest from the body.
outer tail feathers
Part of the tail farthest from the center.
outer wing
Alula and primaries.
pinnae
Projecting feathers.
plumes
Large, conspicuous, showy, feathers.
primaries
Flight feathers attached to the “hand.”
primary coverts
Feathers protecting and covering the primaries.
rictal bristles
Stiffened feathers near bill.
ruffs
Fringe of feathers growing on the neck.
rump
Area between the uppertail coverts and the back.
scapulars
Area of feathers between the back and the wings.
secondaries
Flight feathers attached to the “elbow.”
secondary coverts
Feathers protecting and covering the secondaries.
shoulder
Feathers overlying bases of median secondary coverts. Also: lesser secondary coverts,
marginal coverts.
side
Area between the belly and the wing.
spectacle
Eye ring and supraloral line together.
speculum
Highly colored area on secondaries of several ducks.
subterminal band
Stripe before tip of tail.
tail
Feathers extending from the rear of the bird.
tail coverts
Under and uppertail coverts.
tarsus
Part of the leg between the knee and the foot.
terminal band
Stripe at tip of tail.
tertiaries
Feathers adjoining the secondaries.
throat
Front part of the neck.
throat patch
Front part of the neck.
tibia
Part of the leg above the knee.
underparts
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
undertail coverts
Feathers covering underside of base of tail. Also: crissum.
underwing
Underside of wing.
upper mandible
Upper part of the bill.
upperparts
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
uppertail coverts
Feathers covering upperside of base of tail.
upperwing
Upperside of wing.
whisker
Area at the sides of the chin. Also: mustache, malar streak.
wing bars
Pale tips of secondary coverts creating a stripe on wings.
wing coverlets
Primary and secondary coverts, or feathers overlaying others.
wing lining
Median, lesser and marginal coverts on underwing.
wing stripe
Paler area at base of flight feathers.
wing pit
between the body and the wing. Also: axillary.
wrist
Area at base of the primaries.