Patuxent Bird Glossary

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abdomen

Ventral part of the bird. Synonym(s): belly. In picture it is referred to as belly.

alula

Three feathers springing from the base of the primaries. Synonym(s): alular quills.

alular quill coverts

Feathers overlying the bases of alula. No picture yet.

alular quills

Three feathers springing from the base of the primaries. Synonym(s): alula. In picture it is referred to as alula.

auricular

Area around ear opening. Synonym(s): ear patch.

axillary

Ventral area between the body and the wing. Synonym(s): wingpit.

back

Dorsal part of the bird.

BBS

Breeding Bird Survey. This survey is typically performed in June by volunteers on over 4000 bird counts. The counts are done by vehicle during the morning. Many nocturnal or less vocal species are not well surveyed by the BBS. Data from this survey is used to generate the BBS maps.

belly

Ventral part of the bird. Synonym(s): abdomen.

bill

Beak.

body

Main mass of the bird as distinguished from its appendages.

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.

CBC

Christmas Bird Count. This survey is performed in one calendar day any time from mid-December to early January by volunteers. Birds are counted in an area with a 15 mile radius. Data from this survey is used to generate the CBC maps.

cere

Fleshy area between the beak and face.

cheek

Area bounded by lore, eye, auricular, and lower mandible.

chest

Front part of the body.

chin

Part of the face below the bill.

collar

Rear portion of crown. Synonym(s): nape, hindneck. In picture it is referred to as hindneck.

comb

Colored area over eye found in males.

commissure

Base of the bill where the mandibles join. Synonym(s): gape, rictus. In picture it is referred to as gape.

crest

Tuft on the head.

crissum

Feathers covering underside of base of tail. Synonym(s): undertail coverts. In picture it is referred to as undertail coverts.

crown

Top of the head.

culmen

Upper ridge on bill.

dihedral

Wings of a flying bird held at an angle appearing to form a "V". No picture yet.

ear patch

Area around ear opening. Synonym(s): auricular. In picture it is referred to as auricular.

ears

Rounded, earlike areas on the face. Synonym(s): facial discs. In picture it is referred to as facial discs.

eye

Organ of sight.

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. Synonym(s): supercilium, superciliary line. In picture it is referred to as supercilium.

eyelid

Skin-fold covering the eye. No picture yet.

face

Front part of the head.

facial discs

Rounded, earlike areas on the face. Synonym(s): ears.

feet

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.

forehead

Part of the face above the eyes.

foreneck

Front part of the neck. Synonym(s): throat, jugulum, throat patch.

frontal shield

Extension of the bill onto the forehead.

gape

Base of the bill where the mandibles join. Synonym(s): commissure, rictus.

gonys

Lowermost ridge on lower mandible.

greater secondary coverts

Feathers overlying bases of secondaries.

gular region

Between the chin and the foreneck.

head

Upper part of the body.

head stripes

Bold lines on the head.

hindhead

Rear portion of crown. Synonym(s): occiput.

hindneck

Back of the neck. Synonym(s): nape, collar.

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.

iris

Colored part of eye.

jugulum

Front part of the neck. Synonym(s): foreneck, throat, throat patch. In picture it is referred to as foreneck.

knee

Joint in the middle part of the leg.

leading edge of wing

Front edge of the wing in flight.

leg

Limb used for supporting the bird.

lesser secondary coverts

Feathers overlying bases of median secondary coverts. Synonym(s): marginal coverts, shoulder.

lore

Area between the eye and the bill.

lower mandible

Lower part of the bill.

lower mandibular tomia

Cutting edges of lower mandible.

malar streak

Area at the sides of the chin. Synonym(s): whisker, moustache. In picture it is referred to as whisker.

mandibular ramus

Prong-like, posterior projection from bill. No picture yet.

mantle

Upper surface of the wings and the back.

marginal coverts

Feathers overlying bases of median secondary coverts. Synonym(s): lesser secondary coverts, shoulder. In picture it is referred to as lesser secondary coverts.

median line

Stripe through the crown.

median secondary coverts

Feathers overlying bases of greater secondary coverts.

moustache

Area at the sides of the chin. Synonym(s): whisker, malar streak. In picture it is referred to as whisker .

mouth

Cavity bounded by the bill. No picture yet.

nape

Back of the neck. Synonym(s): hindneck, collar. In picture it is referred to as hindneck.

nasal canthus

Anterior corner of eye. No picture yet.

nasal fossa

Depression in which nostril is located.

neck

Part connecting the head to the main part of the body.

neck patch

Inflatable sac on neck used by males in courtship display.

nictitating membrane

Translucent, vertical fold under the eye lid. No picture yet.

nostril

External naris.

occiput

Rear portion of crown. Synonym(s): hindhead. In picture it is referred to as hindhead.

operculum

Swollen structure in pigeons overarching the nostril.

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.

patagial mark

Dark patch on leading edge of underside of inner wing.

pelagic

Living on the open ocean rather than coastal or inland bodies of water

pileum

Top of the head extending from the base of the bill to the nape

pinnae

Projecting feathers.

plumes

Large, conspicuous, showy, feathers.

primaries

Flight feathers attached to the "hand".

primary coverts

Feathers protecting and covering the primaries.

primary numbering

System for assigning a number to each primary.

pupil

Contractile aperture in iris.

rectrices

Conspicuous feathers forming posterior margin of tail.

remiges

See primaries and secondaries.

rictal bristles

Stiffened feathers near bill.

rictus

Base of the bill where the mandibles join. Synonym(s): gape, commissure. In picture it is referred to as gape.

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. Synonym(s): lesser secondary coverts, marginal coverts. In picture it is referred to as lesser secondary coverts.

side

Area between the belly and the wing.

side of neck

Area of neck between foreneck and hindneck.

spectacle

Eye ring and supraloral line together.

speculum

Highly colored area on secondaries of several ducks.

suborbital ring

Eyelids. No picture yet.

subterminal band

Stripe before tip of tail. No picture yet.

superciliary line

Line of feathers above the eye. Synonym(s): supercilium, eyebrow. In picture it is referred to as supercilium.

supercilium

Line of feathers above the eye. Synonym(s): eyebrow, superciliary line.

supraloral line

Line of feathers above the lore.

tail

Feathers extending from the rear of the bird.

tail coverts

Under and uppertail coverts.

tail numbering

System for assigning a number to each tail feather.

tarsus

Part of the leg between the knee and the foot.

temporal canthus

Posterior corner of eye. No picture yet.

terminal band

Stripe at tip of tail.

tertiaries

Feathers adjoining the secondaries.

throat

Front part of the neck. Synonym(s): foreneck, jugulum, throat patch. In picture it is referred to as foreneck.

throat patch

Front part of the neck. Synonym(s): foreneck, throat, jugulum. In picture it is referred to as foreneck.

tibia

Part of the leg above the knee.

toe

Digit attached to the feet.

trailing edge of wing

Rear edge of the wing in flight.

underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

undertail coverts

Feathers covering underside of base of tail. Synonym(s): crissum.

underwing

Underside of wing.

upper mandible

Upper part of the bill.

upper mandibular tomia

Cutting edges of upper mandible.

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. Synonym(s): moustache, malar streak.

wing

Moveable feathered appendage.

wing bars

Pale tips of greater and median secondary coverts.

wing coverts

Primary and secondary coverts.

wing lining

Median, lesser and marginal coverts on underwing.

wing stripe

Paler area at base of flight feathers.

wingpit

Ventral area between the body and the wing. Synonym(s): axillary. In picture it is referred to as axillary.

wrist

Area at base of the primaries.