Adult |
old, mature bird in definitive plumage. It is not possible to know its exact year of birth |
Alula |
a group of feathers, usually three, attached at the digital bone, near the wing-bend on upper forewind. |
Autumn |
in wide sense, period that goes from the end of the moult until December 31st. |
Breeding plumage |
colorful plumage gained by many birds for breeding period, primarily males, through abrasion or in a prebreeding moult. |
Carpal |
wing feather placed between greater coverts and alula. |
Cere |
bare skin on the base of upper mandible and around nostrils; it's usually coloured in adult birds and in breeding time. |
Complete moult |
all feathers of the body, wings and tail are changed. |
Crown |
upper part of the head. |
Eclipse plumage |
cryptic, female-like plumage attained by male ducks in summer |
Emargination |
a step or abrupt narrowing of the web of a feather, occuring towards the tip of the outer web of the feather. |
Eye-ring |
a ring of bare, unfeathered skin, around the eye, usually coloured. |
First year |
age category referring to the first year of the life of the bird, from hatching until December 31st. |
First year autumn (1st year autumn) |
age category referring to the first autumn of the life of the bird, from its postjuvenile moult until December 31st. |
Flight feathers |
the long quills on the wing, primaries, secondaries and tertials. |
Greater coverts |
wing feathers covering the bases of secondaries. |
Juvenile |
fledged bird wearing the first set of true feathers, but which has not yet moulted any of these feathers. |
Lesser coverts |
small feathers placed upper wing, near the median coverts. |
Median coverts |
small feathers placed in the middle of the wing, between greater coverts and lesser coverts. |
Moult |
a natural process of renewal of the plumage, whereby the old feathers are shed and new ones grown; moult pattern is very different between species or between different ages in the same species. |
Moustachial stripe, moustache |
usually narrow stripe, often dark, running from near the base of the lower mandible and along the lower edge of the cheek. |
Partial moult |
not all feathers of the body, wings or tail are changed; some are retained. |
Postbreeding moult |
moult taking place after breeding period; most of the small birds acquire the adult plumage in their first postbreeding moult. |
Postjuvenile moult |
first moult where all or part of the juvenile plumage is lost. |
Prebreeding moult |
moult taking place late winter, before the breeding period; some species acquire their breeding plumage. |
Primaries |
the quills growing on the outer wing, the part of the wing outside the wing bend. |
Primary coverts |
wing feathers covering the bases of primaries. |
Rectrices |
the main tail feathers. |
Retained feathers |
unmoulted feathers which remain on wings or tail after a moult. |
Rump |
feathers placed on lower back, nearest the tail. |
Scapulars |
feathers covering the shoulder of birds. |
Second year (2nd year) |
age category referring to the second year of life of the bird, from January 1st until December 31st. |
Second year autumn (2nd year autumn) |
age category referring to the autumn on the second year of life of the bird, from its second moult until December 31st. |
Second year spring (2nd year spring) |
age category referring to the spring on the second year of life of the bird, from January 1st until its second moult. |
Secondaries |
the quills growing on the inner wing. |
Shaft |
the main axis of a feather where webs grow. |
Speculum |
distinctive, glossy patch on upper secondaries, often in ducks. |
Spring |
in wide sense, period that goes from the January 1st until the end of the moult. |
Suspended moult |
a temporary interruption which is subsequently resumed at the point of interruption; usually due to migration. |
Tertials |
the innermost wing feathers, usually with somewhat different shape and pattern; they are three in small birds. |
Third year (3rd year) |
age category referring to the third year of life of the bird, from January 1st until December 31st. |
Third year autumn (3rd year autumn) |
age category referring to the autumn on the third year of life of the bird, from its third moult until December 31st. |
Third year spring (3rd year spring) |
age category referring to the spring on the third year of life of the bird, from January 1st until its third moult. |
Undertail coverts |
small feathers covering the base of rectrices on the underside of the tail. |
Underwing coverts |
small feathers covering the base of long feathers on the underside of the wing. |
Uppertail coverts |
small feathers covering the base of rectrices on tail. |
Web |
the barbs on each side of the shaft of a bird's feather. |
Web |
the barbs on each side of the shaft of a bird's feather. |
Wing coverts |
small feathers covering the wings. |
Young |
a young bird before acquiring the first set of true feathers. |