Glossary of Ornithology Terms

Glossary of Ornithology Terms

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To assist those with a limited background in ornithology in understanding the terms used in this page, we have complied a brief glossary of terms. Throughout this site, we have attempted to simplify all terminology, however as this was not always possible, we have compiled this glossary for your use. This glossary defines 39 of the more technical bird terms used within this site. Along with the terms, we have provided simple labeled diagrams which outline the topography of a generalized bird. Should you wish to have some terms defined which do not appear in this glossary, we suggest you refer to any ornithology textbook for more information. One suggestion is "The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds", by John K. Terres.

Line Diagrams of a Generalized Bird

Alphabetical Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Altricial

referred to as nestlings, altricial birds are either naked or have very sparse down at hatching. Usually have their eyes closed at hatching, are fed by their parents for some period of time, and may stay in the nest for an extended period after hatching. Opposite of precocial.

Artificial Breeding Structures

any man-made structure designed to serve as a nesting receptacle for birds, such as bird houses, nest boxes, nest tunnels, etc.

Barred

term referring to a pattern of colouration in which the plumage has alternating dark and light stripes, such as the barred upperparts of the Northern Flicker.

Bill

or beak, is the bony modification of the bird's skull, used for picking up food and nesting material, and for preening its feathers. The bill therefore acts as both lips and teeth, neither of which are found in birds. It also acts as a "hand", as many objects are picked up with the bill.

Breeding Plumage

term usually referring to the colourful plumage which the males of many species acquire for the breeding season, usually for the purposes of attracting a female mate. In a few species, it is the females which may be more colourful during the breeding season.

Breeding Success

occurs when one or more young from a clutch of eggs survives to fledging.

Brood

a collective term referring to the young hatched from a single clutch of eggs.

Class

taxonomic category between phyla and orders. A class contains one or more orders, and belongs to a particular phylum. (e.g. Phylum Vertebrata, Class Aves, Order Passeriformes)

Colony

refers to a group of birds nesting together in close association, such as a pelican or gull colony.

Colour Phase

certain species may have two or more variations in their plumage, presumably under genetic control. For example, Snow Geese may exist in either the white or blue colour phases.

Courtship Dancing

usually elaborate displays, most often performed by the males of certain species in an attempt to attract a female mate.

Covert (s)

term given to body feathers which overlie the bases of the flight feathers on the wings and tail. Also applies to the feathers covering the bird's ear region. (See the above wing diagram).

Crest

a tuft of elongated feathers on the head of some species, such as the Belted Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker, and Blue Jay. The feathers are held erect by the bird most of the time or are capable of being erected.

Crown

the hind region of the upper part of the head. (See the above diagram).

Downy Plumage

refers to the plumage of a chick upon hatching. May be thick and soft as in ducklings, or very sparse or absent as in the nestlings of many passerine species. Downy plumage is followed by the development of feathers.

Exotic

refers to non-native, or introduced species found within Manitoba, such as the House Sparrow and Rock Dove.

Eye Combs

usually brightly coloured regions situated above the eyes of certain species. They have the appearance of a colourful eyebrow, and function in sexual displays and recognition. (See the above diagram).

Family

a taxonomic group comprised of one or more genera. The names of bird families all have the ending -idae.

Fledge

young birds are said to have "fledged" when they have completely acquired their first true feathers and have left the nest. They may be referred to as "fledglings" from the time they leave the nest until they are completely independent of all parental care.

Genus

(plural genera). A taxonomic group including one or more species. Families are divided into genera.

Gular Sac

a skin pouch of the throat found in some species, and most obvious in the pelicans. Nesting pelicans use it for panting, as a means of cooling or lowering body temperature, as well as to hold partially digested fish while the young feed from the pouch. Less conspicuous gular sacs are found in cormorants, owls, pheasants, pigeons and some other groups of birds.

Lek

traditional display grounds on which males of certain promiscuous species, such as the Sharp-tailed Grouse, perform courtship displays to attract females. Displaying males defend small territories on the lek, with the more dominant males usually dancing towards the center of the court. Females visit the lek, and select a male for copulation.

Length

the distance from the tip of the bill to the tip of the longest tail feather.

Lobate

also referred to a lobed, this condition refers to feet which are specially adapted for swimming, with a series of lateral lobes on the toes. Most obvious in the grebes.

Lore

region of the bird's head between the eye and the base of the upper part of the bill. (See the above diagram).

Malar Region

or cheek, is the region on the side of the head from the base of the lower bill to the angle of the jaw. (See the above diagram).

Mustache

usually a colourful region running back from the base of the bill and below the eye, as seen in the Northern Flicker. (See the above diagram)

Order

a taxonomic group above the level of family but below that of class. Orders are composed of one or more families.

Ornithology

the science of birds.

Precocial

referred to as chicks, precocial birds have their eyes open at hatching, are covered with down, and leave the nest almost immediately after hatching to find food for themselves. Opposite of altricial.

Primaries

are the flight feathers of the wings which are attached to the manus, or the "hand" part of the wing. The number of primary feathers varies from 9 to 11, and are numbered from the innermost primary to the outermost. (See the wing diagram above).

Promiscuous

about 6 % of all bird species, such as most species of grouse, do not form pair bonds during the mating season. Rather they are said to be promiscuous, having indiscriminate, casual sexual relationships of brief duration. Most often involves the male mating with more than one female.

Secondaries

are the flight feathers of the wing arising from the ulna, or "forearm" region of the wing. Secondary feathers are nearer the bird's body than the primary feathers, and are numbered from the outermost feather to the innermost. (See the wing diagram above).

Siblicide

type of behaviour in which a young bird kills its sibling in the nest. The victim is most often the younger, smaller sibling of a clutch, and parents often do nothing to prevent its death. This behaviour is common in some species of raptors, for example.

Species

a kind of organism. It is usually defined in ornithology as an interbreeding group of birds that is reproductively isolated from other such groups.

Speculum

term given to the patch of brightly coloured or metallic secondary feathers of the wings, found in most surface-feeding, or dabbling ducks. (See the above wing diagram).

Wing Bars

most common in some passerine species, they are the lighter coloured tips of the upper wing coverts which appear as narrow bars in the folded wings.

Wingspread

the distance from tip to tip of the longest primary feathers of the outstretched wings.

Wrist

region of the forewing which points forward; also known as the bend of the wing. (See above diagram).

Altricial	referred to as nestlings, altricial birds are either naked or have very sparse down at hatching. Usually have their eyes closed at hatching, are fed by their parents for some period of time, and may stay in the nest for an extended period after hatching. Opposite of precocial.
Artificial Breeding Structures	any man-made structure designed to serve as a nesting receptacle for birds, such as bird houses, nest boxes, nest tunnels, etc.

Barred	term referring to a pattern of colouration in which the plumage has alternating dark and light stripes, such as the barred upperparts of the Northern Flicker.
Bill	or beak, is the bony modification of the bird's skull, used for picking up food and nesting material, and for preening its feathers. The bill therefore acts as both lips and teeth, neither of which are found in birds. It also acts as a "hand", as many objects are picked up with the bill.
Breeding Plumage	term usually referring to the colourful plumage which the males of many species acquire for the breeding season, usually for the purposes of attracting a female mate. In a few species, it is the females which may be more colourful during the breeding season.
Breeding Success	occurs when one or more young from a clutch of eggs survives to fledging.
Brood	a collective term referring to the young hatched from a single clutch of eggs.

Class	taxonomic category between phyla and orders. A class contains one or more orders, and belongs to a particular phylum. (e.g. Phylum Vertebrata, Class Aves, Order Passeriformes)
Colony	refers to a group of birds nesting together in close association, such as a pelican or gull colony.
Colour Phase	certain species may have two or more variations in their plumage, presumably under genetic control. For example, Snow Geese may exist in either the white or blue colour phases.
Courtship Dancing	usually elaborate displays, most often performed by the males of certain species in an attempt to attract a female mate.
Covert (s)	term given to body feathers which overlie the bases of the flight feathers on the wings and tail. Also applies to the feathers covering the bird's ear region. (See the above wing diagram).
Crest	a tuft of elongated feathers on the head of some species, such as the Belted Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker, and Blue Jay. The feathers are held erect by the bird most of the time or are capable of being erected.
Crown	the hind region of the upper part of the head. (See the above diagram).

Exotic	refers to non-native, or introduced species found within Manitoba, such as the House Sparrow and Rock Dove.
Eye Combs	usually brightly coloured regions situated above the eyes of certain species. They have the appearance of a colourful eyebrow, and function in sexual displays and recognition. (See the above diagram).

Family	a taxonomic group comprised of one or more genera. The names of bird families all have the ending -idae.
Fledge	young birds are said to have "fledged" when they have completely acquired their first true feathers and have left the nest. They may be referred to as "fledglings" from the time they leave the nest until they are completely independent of all parental care.

Genus	(plural genera). A taxonomic group including one or more species. Families are divided into genera.
Gular Sac	a skin pouch of the throat found in some species, and most obvious in the pelicans. Nesting pelicans use it for panting, as a means of cooling or lowering body temperature, as well as to hold partially digested fish while the young feed from the pouch. Less conspicuous gular sacs are found in cormorants, owls, pheasants, pigeons and some other groups of birds.

Lek	traditional display grounds on which males of certain promiscuous species, such as the Sharp-tailed Grouse, perform courtship displays to attract females. Displaying males defend small territories on the lek, with the more dominant males usually dancing towards the center of the court. Females visit the lek, and select a male for copulation.
Length	the distance from the tip of the bill to the tip of the longest tail feather.
Lobate	also referred to a lobed, this condition refers to feet which are specially adapted for swimming, with a series of lateral lobes on the toes. Most obvious in the grebes.
Lore	region of the bird's head between the eye and the base of the upper part of the bill. (See the above diagram).

Malar Region	or cheek, is the region on the side of the head from the base of the lower bill to the angle of the jaw. (See the above diagram).
Mustache	usually a colourful region running back from the base of the bill and below the eye, as seen in the Northern Flicker. (See the above diagram)

Order	a taxonomic group above the level of family but below that of class. Orders are composed of one or more families.
Ornithology	the science of birds.

Precocial	referred to as chicks, precocial birds have their eyes open at hatching, are covered with down, and leave the nest almost immediately after hatching to find food for themselves. Opposite of altricial.
Primaries	are the flight feathers of the wings which are attached to the manus, or the "hand" part of the wing. The number of primary feathers varies from 9 to 11, and are numbered from the innermost primary to the outermost. (See the wing diagram above).
Promiscuous	about 6 % of all bird species, such as most species of grouse, do not form pair bonds during the mating season. Rather they are said to be promiscuous, having indiscriminate, casual sexual relationships of brief duration. Most often involves the male mating with more than one female.

Secondaries	are the flight feathers of the wing arising from the ulna, or "forearm" region of the wing. Secondary feathers are nearer the bird's body than the primary feathers, and are numbered from the outermost feather to the innermost. (See the wing diagram above).
Siblicide	type of behaviour in which a young bird kills its sibling in the nest. The victim is most often the younger, smaller sibling of a clutch, and parents often do nothing to prevent its death. This behaviour is common in some species of raptors, for example.
Species	a kind of organism. It is usually defined in ornithology as an interbreeding group of birds that is reproductively isolated from other such groups.
Speculum	term given to the patch of brightly coloured or metallic secondary feathers of the wings, found in most surface-feeding, or dabbling ducks. (See the above wing diagram).

Wing Bars	most common in some passerine species, they are the lighter coloured tips of the upper wing coverts which appear as narrow bars in the folded wings.
Wingspread	the distance from tip to tip of the longest primary feathers of the outstretched wings.
Wrist	region of the forewing which points forward; also known as the bend of the wing. (See above diagram).