| A | |
accipter | a forest hawk characterized by a long tail and short, rounded wings. It feeds mostly on birds. | acrobatic | description of birds that move in unusual positions such as upside-down, especially while feeding. | adult plumage | feathers of a sexually mature adult bird. They may change with the seasons. | aerial | description of birds that feed, court their mates or spend a lot of time in the air. | apterium | an area of skin from which no feathers grow, except down feathers. | arboreal | of Iife-style, inhabiting trees, often the canopy. | atlantic flyway | the migration route used by birds through the eastern portion of North America from northern Canada, across the Atlantic Canadian provinces, the New England states and southward to the Florida Keys. | B | | barred | coloured feathers in a horizontally striped or streaked pattern. | bib | the area below a bird's bill covering the throat and upper breast. Refers to same area covered by a bib worn by a human. | big sit | a competition where birders must see birds from a 15-foot (4.5 m) diameter circle. Once birds are spotted, birders can leave the circle to confirm the identity, but new birds seen may not be counted. | binoculars | an optical device used by humans while bird-watching. | bird-blind photography | photography conducted from a camouflaged barriers or man-made barriers. | breeding plumage | the set of feathers worn during the breeding season (spring and summer). This is often the most colourful plumage, especially among male songbirds. See non breeding plumage. | breeding range | refers to the area the species occupies during the breeding season. | brood | a family of young from one hatching. Another definition is to incubate the eggs. | brood parasite | a bird that lays its eggs in other birds nests. | brood parasitism | a behavioral habit characterized by birds laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. | buffy | dull-yellow coloured. | buteo | a high-soaring hawk (genus Buteo), characterized by broad wings and a short, wide tail. They feed mostly on small mammals and other land animals. | C | | cache | a place where food is stored or hidden for later consumption. | call note | brief, relatively simple sound uttered by birds in various social contexts (for example, location calls, food calls). | carnivorous | meat-eating. | caruncle | an unfeathered flap or appendage of fleshy texture, often brightly coloured and significant in display or species recogllition. | casque | an enlargement on the upper surface of the bill in front of the head (hornbills) or on top the head as in cassowaries. | cavity nester | a bird that nests inside an enclosed area, such as a hollow tree, an old woodpecker hole, or a nest box. | cere | the fleshy area at the base of the bill that contains the nostrils on birds of prey. | clutch | the number of eggs laid by the female at one time. | completely migratory | characteristic of a species, where all the birds in an area come and go with the seasons. | coniferous | cone-bearing; as in woodlands where most trees bear cones (spruce, pine, fir, larch, etc.) | coverts | small feathers that cover specific areas of a bird's body such as base of the tail, both upper and under surfaces of the wings, and over the ears. | crepuscular | of twilight; those birds which are most active during the hours of dawn and dusk. | crest | long feathers on the top, sides or back of a bird's head. | crissum | the feathers covering the undertail of a bird, as in the rust-colored crissum of the Gray Catbird. | crown | the top of a bird's head. | cryptic | of colouration that provided concealment through disguise either by colour or pattern. | cursorial | adapted to running hut not necessarily flightless. An example would be the Roadrunner. | D | | dabbling | refers to certain duck species (such as the Mallard) that forage in shallow water, sometimes tipping forward to reach underwater food. Dabbling ducks can usually walk easily on land. They can take off without running and have brightly coloured speculums. | deciduous | leaf-shedding; woodlands where most of the trees loose their leaves each fall (birch, maple, beech, willow, etc.) | decurved | curved downwards. | dihedral | describes the upward-angled or V-shaped position (rather than flat or horizontal) in which certain birds hold their wings. | dipped out | a twitcher who fails to see a rare bird. | diurnal | active during daylight hours. | E | | eclipse/eclipse plumage | a brief period in late summer when waterfowl are moulting from breeding plumage to non breeding plumage. Some ducks in eclipse plumage are very drab looking and cannot fly until their new feathers grow in. | edge habitat | a place where two or more habitats overlap, such as an old meadow near woodlands. Edge habitat typically offers a rich diversity of birds. | extinct | sadly, no longer existing on the planet. | extirpated | no longer present in a given area, though still in existance in other locations. | eye line | the line over or through a bird's eye, often used as a point for identification. | eye patch | an area of feather (usually dark) surrounding a bird's eyes. | eye-stripe | a coloured stripe of feathers that goes from the bottom of a bird's bill through or above its eye. | eye-ring | a ring of color that encircles a bird's eye. A broken eye-ring is one that is not continuous, or does not completely encircle the eye. | F | | facial disc | a somewhat flat and round circle of feathers around the eyes of owls. | field mark | a special feature such as colour, shape, bill shape, size, plumage, behaviour or habitat useful in identifying a species of bird. | first-year plumage | feathers worn in the first year of life by birds which have several different plumages before becoming adults. | flank | a bird's sides below the wings on either side of the belly. | fledgling | a young bird that has left the nest but may still be receiving care and feeding from a parent. | flight call | a short, often distinctive call given by birds in flight. | flock | a gathering of birds for purposes of feeding, resting, nesting, or migration. Winter feeding flocks of small woodland songbirds often contain several different species. | foliage | the leaves of trees or bushes. | forage | to look for food. Where and how birds forage often offers clues to their identities. | flushing | when frightened birds explode into flight in response to a disturbance. | flycatching | a feeding behaviour in which the bird leaves a perch, snatches an insect in midair and returns to the same perch. This is also known as "hawking" or "sallying". | G | | GBH | abbreviation for Great Blue Heron | generalist | a bird that can live in many different places as it has few specialized needs for survival (breeding, feeding or habitat). | gripped off | a twitcher in the company of others, who fails to see a rare bird. | gular pouch | a throat sac often very distensible for capturing prey (Pelican), brightly coloured for display (frigate-bird), or for sound production (Prairie Chicken). | H | | habitat | the area or environment where a bird lives. Certain birds prefer specific types of habitat. | hallux | the first toe, usually pointing backwards. In birds it is often reduced or absent. | herbivorous | plant-eating. | hides | observation towers are often used to conceal observers from birds, and/or to improve viewing conditions. Hides are not hunting blinds. | hotspot | a location or habitat that is particularly good for bird watching on a regular basis. | hybrid | the offspring produced from the mating of a male and a female from two distinct bird species. | I | | immature | not sexually mature. Describes young birds, who often look different from adult birds of the same species. | insectivorous | insect-eating. | iridescent | the colourful reflection of light in a bird's feathers. | J | | juvenal | plumage of a juvenile bird. | juvenile | a bird that has not yet reached breeding age. | L | | lammellate | in thin plates or layers. | lappet | a wattle, particularly at the corners of the mouth | larvae | immature, not fully grown, insects. | life bird | a bird seen by a bird watcher for the first time, often recorded on a life list. | life list | a list of all bird species birder has seen at least once. Examples may be viewed HERE. | local | refers to a species' abundance. A locally common species is one that is present in its appropriate habitat but not widespread and abundant. | lores | is the area between a bird's bill and its eyes. | M | | malar | is the area on the side of a bird's face below the bill and eye, sometimes referred to as tlie cheek. | malar stripes | stripes in the malar or cheek area, often referred to as the mustache. | mandible | the lower half of a bird's bill. | mantle | the feathers covering a bird's back and the top side of its wings, usually the same colour, just behind the nape. | maxilla | the upper half of a bird's bill. | migrant | a bird that travels from one region to another in response to changes of season, breeding cycles, food availability, or extreme weather. | migratory | arriving and leaving with the seasons. | mimic | a bird that imitates other birds' sounds and songs. | monophyletic | A group of species derived from a common evolutionary ancestry. | morph | a genetically fixed colour variation within a species, such as the blue morph of Snow Goose. The term is correct only when both colour variations occur in the same population. "Blue" morph Snow Geese breed side by side with white birds. The word morph is not applied to differently coloured subspecies. | moult | the periodic shedding of old feathers and their replacement by new ones. All birds moult at least once a year. | mustache | a coloured streak of feathers that goes from the bottom of a bird's bill along the side of its throat | N | | nape | the back of a bird's neck. | neotropical migrant | refers to migratory birds of the New World, primarily those that travel seasonally between North, Central, and South America. | nest parasite: | a bird that lays its eggs in the nest of another bird or species, forcing that nesting bird or pair to raise the parasite's young. The most common North American example of a nest parasite is the Brown-headed Cowbird. | nestling | a bird that has hatched from its egg but is still being cared for in the nest. | nidicolous | Young birds which remain in the nest after hatching - often blind and naked hut not necessarily so. The chicks are dependent on the parents for food. | nidifugous | Young birds which leave the nest immediately, or soon, after hatching. They are down covered, have strong legs. Their eyes are fully open and they are often independent of parents. | nocturnal | active during nighttime hours | nonbreeding plumage | the set of feathers worn during the fall and winter months. Many songbirds moult from breeding plumage into non breeding plumage in the fall. Sometimes called winter plumage or alternate plumage. | nonmigratory | a bird that does not migrate with the change of seasons. Sometimes referred to as a resident bird. | O | | olfactory | pertaining to the sense of smell. | omnivorous | eating both flesh and plant foods. | ornithologist | an individual formally engaged in he study of birds. | ornithology | is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of birds. | P | | pancontinental birds | birds that are widespread and may be found across most of Canada and the United States. | partially migratory | characteristic of a species, where some of the birds in an area stay behind while others go as the seasons change. | peeps | a generic term for confusingly similar small sandpipers. | pelagic | birds of the ocean, or an ocean habitat. It is rarely seen from land. | piscivorous | fish-eating. | pishing (or spishing) | a sound made by bird watchers to attract curious birds into the open, made by repeating the sounds spshhh or pshhh through clenched teeth. | plumage | the complete set of feathers covering a bird's body. They can be different for each sex or age. They can change with the seasons. | plumbeous | lead coloured. | plumes | long showy feathers that are part of the high-breeding plumage of many herons and egrets. These feathers were once used to decorate women's hats. The collecting of these feathers decimated wading-bird populations. | precocial | a bird that is relatively fully developed at hatching. Precocial birds usually have open eyes, extensive down and are fairly mobile. | primary feathers (or primaries) | the nine or more long flight feathers at the end of a bird's wing. | R | | race | an easily identified colour or size variation of a certain bird species. This is often associated with a specific region or area. | range | the area in which a bird may be seen during each season of the year. | raptors | birds of prey which include eagles, hawks, eagles and owls. | ratite | A bird with a keel-Iess sternum. A feature characteristic of flightless, running birds such as an Ostrich or an Emu. | recurved | the bill curved upward. | register | to leave a mark by any part of the bird's body. | remote birdwatching | birdwatching activities taking place over the Internet, using robotic camera installations and mobile phones set up in remote wildlife areas. Projects allow users to observe and photograph birds over the web. Robotic cameras set up in largely inhospitable areas are new technologies in the birdwatcher's toolkit. | resident | a nonmigratory species that is present in the same region all year. | riparian | refers to habitat along riverbanks. | rufous | reddish-brown coloured | rump patch | a patch of colour located above the point at which a bird's tail connects to the body. | S | | scapulars | the row of feathers lying just above a bird's folded wing. They are the lowest group of feathers on the mantle. | scavenger | a bird that mostly eats dead animals. | seawatching | a type of birdwatching where observers based at a coastal watch point, such as a headland, watch birds flying over the sea. | second-year plumage | feathers worn in the second year of life by birds which have several different plumages before becoming adults; different from the first year plumage and the adult plumage. | secondary feathers (or secondaries) | the medium-length flight feathers located on the wing between the primaries and tertials. | sexual dimorphism | a difference in plumage, size or other characteristics between males and females of the same species. | shorebirds | refers to sandpipers, plovers, and related birds. This term does not refer to herons, gulls, terns, and other birds found in coastal areas. | skulker | a bird that does not make itself obvious, but keeps hidden in deep cover. Many sparrow species are referred to as skulkers. | soaring | a flight style in which a bird holds its wings steady and flies without flapping. Red-tailed Hawks are experts at soaring. | song | a complex series of sounds, with elaborate note patterns, usually associated with courtship or territoriality. | song-flight | sometimes called flight songs. Performed by birds {usually males) during courtship, when they sing while flying high about their territories. Many grassland nesters perform song-flights, but some woodland species do too, such as the American Woodcock and a variety of warblers. | specialist | a bird that has very specific needs for survival such as breeding, feeding or habitat. | species | birds that have certain characteristics in common and which interbreed to produce similar birds. A "kind" of bird. | speculum | a rectangular parth of coloured inner and secondary feathers on the lower part of the wing of waterfowl. | spring and fall migrants | birds that generally occur on P.E.I. only during the spring (March 16 -May 30) and fall (August 16 -December 14). | stage | to gather in one place during migration, usually when birds are flightless or partly flightless during moulting. | stoop | a steep dive through the air, usually performed by birds of prey while foraging or during courtship displays. | subadult | birds that are not yet adults but are more than one year old. | suet | kidney fat of large animals offered as food to birds such as woodpeckers and chickadees. | summer resident | birds that regularly occur on P.E.l. during the summer period (June 1 -August 15). Many of these birds breed here | summer visitor | birds that are occasionally seen on P.E.I. during the summer period but are more often found here at other times of the year. Most of these birds do not breed here. | supercilium | the area above a bird's eye, sometimes called the eyebrow. | suppression | the act of concealing news of a rare bird from other twitchers. | syndactyl | having toes three and four fused for part of their length. | T | | tail spots | spots of contrasting color (usually white) on a bird's tail, often used as a field mark. | taxonomy | the science of classification. | territorial | defending an area against other birds, usually of the same species. | territoriality | behavior associated with the aggressive defense of a particular area or territory. | territory | the piece of habitat a bird claims for its own and defends against others of its species. Birds may be most territorial during the breeding season, but some birds (such as the Northern Mockingbird) will also defend food-rich winter territories. | tertial feathers (or tertials) | the innermost flight feathers on a bird's wing (the closest feathers to the bird's body), which form a stack atop the rear border of the folded wing. | trail | a series of track patterns, the path of the bird. | twitch | act of pursuit to view a rare bird. | twitchable | a rare bird that stays put long enough for people to see it. | twitcher | a competitive birdwatcher. In America the term is chaser. The goal of a twitcher is to accumulate species on his/her lists. Birders will engage in competition with others to accumulate the longest species list. In May 2006, several chasers drove from the United States, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to view the American Pelican at Black Pond. | twitching | the observation of a previously located rare bird. In America, it is called chasing. | U | | under wing | the bottom side of a wing. | underparts | the lower side or surface of a bird's body from the throat to the base of the tail. They include the breast, belly and under the tail. | undulating | flying in a wavy pattern (rise and dip). This is typical of certain groups of birds including woodpeckers and finches. | upper parts | the upper side or surface of a bird's body from the head to the tail, including the wings. They include the crown, back and top of the tail. The upper parts are often used as a field mark. | upper wing | the top side of a wing. | V | | vagrant | a bird that wanders far from its normal range. | vent | the feathered area under the tail and below the legs. It is sometimes used as a field mark. | vestigial | a physical feature that during the course of evolution, has become greatly reduced or even functionless. An example would be a Kiwi wing. | W | | waders | herons, egrets, and related birds, including storks. | wattle | a caruncle or fleshy appendage, chiefly of the face and neck, often with a sexual significance (display or threat). | wing bars | obvious areas of contrasting color, usually white, across the central portion (shoulder) of a bird's wings. | wing lining | the inner portion which consists of small feathers lining the underside of wing. | wingpits | the area on the underside of the wing, where it connects to the body. | winter plumage | the feathers worn by an adult bird in the non-breeding season; often less brightly coloured than the breeding plumage. | winter straggler | birds that occasionally spend the winter period (December 15- March 15) on P.E.l., but more often, do not year-round resident birds that occur on P.E.l. throughout the year | wintering grounds | the range over which a bird species spends the winter. | wintering range | refers to the area occupied during the winter. | Z | | zygodactyl | having two toes directed forward, with two back. |
Copyright 
1 - Aerial Fishing, 2 - Chiseling, 3 - Coniferous Seed-eating, 4 - Dip-netting
