Bird Glossary

For those interested in a far more detailed list, we highly recommend:
A Dictionary of Birds by Bruce Campbell and Elizabeth Lack.
The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds by John Terres.

abdomen
Ventral part of the bird. Synonym: belly.

alula
Three feathers springing from the base of the primaries. Synonym: alular quills.

alular quill coverts
Feathers overlying the bases of alula.

alular quills
Three feathers springing from the base of the primaries. Synonym: alula.

auricular
Area around ear opening. Synonym(s): ear patch, ear coverts.

axillary
Ventral area between the body and the wing. Synonym: wingpit.

back
Dorsal part of the bird.

belly
Ventral part of the bird. Synonym: 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.

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.

cloaca
The single opening in birds used for both reproduction and excrement.

cloacal kiss
Term used to describe copulation.

collar
Rear portion of crown. Synonym(s): nape, hindneck.

comb
Colored area over eye found in males.

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

crest
Tuft on the head.

crissum
Feathers covering underside of base of tail. Synonym: 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."

ear patch
Area around ear opening. Synonym: auricular.

ears
Rounded, earlike areas on the face. Synonym: 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.

eyelid
Skin-fold covering the eye.

face
Front part of the head.

facial discs
Rounded, earlike areas on the face. Synonym: 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.

gorget
Iridescent throat feathers on a hummingbird.

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: 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.

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 stripe
Area at the sides of the chin. Synonym(s): whisker, mustache, malar streak.

mandibular ramus
Prong-like, posterior projection from bill.

mantle
Upper surface of the wings and the back.

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

median line
Stripe through the crown.

median secondary coverts
Feathers overlying bases of greater secondary coverts.

mustache
Area at the sides of the chin. Synonym(s): whisker, malar streak

mouth
Cavity bounded by the bill.

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

nasal canthus
Anterior corner of eye.

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.

nostril
External naris.

occiput
Rear portion of crown. Synonym: 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

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.

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.

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.

subterminal band
Stripe before tip of tail.

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

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.

terminal band
Stripe at tip of tail.

tertiaries
Feathers adjoining the secondaries.

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

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

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: 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.

vent
Opening of the cloaca or anus.

whisker
Area at the sides of the chin. Synonym(s): mustache, 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: axillary.

wrist
Area at base of the primaries.

Author:
Gregory Gough
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
With minor additions by Peter Thayer
Thayer Birding Software

Back to Parts of a Bird Body