Adult: Mature, Capable of breeding. Aerial: Making use of the open sky. Altitudinal migrant: Moving between high mountains and lower foothills. Apical: Outer extremities, particularly of the tail. Aquatic: Living on or in water. Arboreal: Living in trees. Axillaries: Underwing feathers at the base of the wings, forming ‘armpits’ Basal: Innermost extremities, particularly of the tail. Biotope: Area of uniform environment, flora and fauna. Buff: Yellowish white with a hint of pale brown. Canopy: Leafy foliage of treetops. Cap: Upper part of head. Carpal: Bend of a closed wing, sometimes called shoulder. Casque: Growth above bill of hornbills. Cere: Patch of bare skin on upper base of bill of raptors. Colonial: Roosting or nesting in groups. Confiding: Not shy. Commensal: Living together with man for mutual benefit Coverts: Small feathers on wings and base of tail. Covey: Small group of partridges and allied species. Crepuscular: Active at dusk (twilight) and dawn. Crest: Extended feathers on head. Crown: Upper part of head. Culmen: Ridge on upper mandible of bill. Diagnostic: Sufficient to identify a species or sub-species. Dimorphic: Having two forms of plumage. Diurnal: Active during daytime. Drumming: Rhythmic territorial hammering on trees by woodpeckers Eclipse: New dull plumage after breeding season, especially in ducks. Endemic: Indigenous and confined to a place. Eyestripe: Stripe through eye. Family: Specified group of genera. Feral: Escaped, and living and breeding in the wild. Fledged: Having just acquired feathers and ready to leave nest. Fledglings: Young birds which have just acquired feathers. Flight feathers: Primary and secondary wing feathers. Flushed: When disturbed into flight at close quarters. Form: Sub-species. Frugivorous: Fruit-eating. Fulvous: Brownish-yellow. Game birds: Pheasants, partridges and allied species. Gape: Basal part of the beak (mainly for young birds and raptors). Genera: Plural of genus. Genus: Group of related species. Gorget: Band across upper chest. Granivorous: Grain-eating. Gregarious: Sociable. Living in communities or flocks. Hackles: Long and pointed neck feathers. Hawking: Capturing insects in flight Hepatic: Rust or liver coloured plumage phase, mainly in female cuckoos Hunting party: Group of birds usually of different species, seeking food. Immature: Plumage phases prior to adult Iris: Coloured eye membrane surrounding pupil. Irruption: Mass movement of a population from one place to another. Jizz: Essence or striking characteristics of a species; Juvenile: Immature bird immediately after leaving nest. Leading edge: Front edge of wing. Lobe: Fleshy extensions to side-edges of toes of some birds. Lores: Area between eye and bill base. Malar: Stripe on side of throat. Mandible: Each of the two parts of bill. Mantle: Back, between wings. Mask: Dark plumage round eye and ear-coverts. Migration: Seasonal movement between distant places. Mirror: White spots in wing-tips, mainly of gulls. Morph: One of several distinct types of plumage in the same species. Moult: Seasonal shedding of plumage. Nape: Back of neck. Necklace Narrow line round neck. Nocturnal: Active at night. Nomadic: Species without specific territory except when breeding. Nominate: First sub-species to be formally named. Orbital ring: Narrow ring of skin or feathers round the eye. Order: Group of related families. Passerines: Perching and song birds. Pectoral: Breast area. Pied: Black and white. Plumes: Long, showy feathers, acquired during the breeding season Precocial: Young hatched sighted and down-covered, e.g. ducklings. Primaries: Outer flight feathers in wing. Race: Sub-species. Raptors: Birds of prey and Vultures, excluding owls. Record Published, or otherwise broadcast, occurrence. Resident: Non-migratory and breeding in same place. Rufous: Reddish brown. Rump: Lower back. Scalloped: Curved markings on edges of feathers. Scapulars: Feathers along edge of mantle. Secondaries: Inner wing feathers. Speculum: Area of colour on secondary feathers of wings. Streamers: Long extensions to feathers, usually of tail. Sub-species: Distinct form that does not have specific status. Sub-terminal band: Broad band on outer part of feather. Supercilia: Plural of supercilium. Supercilium: Streak above eye. Terminal band: Broad band on tip of feather or tail. Terrestrial: Ground living. Tertials: Innermost wing coverts, often covering secondaries. Trailing edge: Rear edge of wing. Vagrant: Accidental, irregular. Vent Undertail area. Vermiculations: Wavy (worm-like) markings. Vinaceous: Red wine coloured. Warm pink. Waders: Shorebirds. Usually, the smaller, long-legged waterbirds. Wattle: Bare skin, often coloured, on part of head. Wildfowl: Ducks and geese. Wing-span: Length from one wing tip to the other when fully extended
