Parts of a Bird

  When we identify birds and discuss them, we sometimes use specialized language. What I need to do before we go is define these terms and explain how they are used. Let's start by describing a bird's head. On this Great Curassow (Crax rubra) in Mexico, the feathers on top of its head form a "crest".

Great Curassow

  A bird with a "crest" can raise and lower those feathers when excited. A "crest" is different from a "crown". The "crown" of the Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) in Texas covers the top of its head.

Great Kiskadee

  A dark stripe which passes through or across the eye is called an "eye-stripe". The Great Kiskadee has both a black "crown" and a black "eye-stripe".

  If the stripe is light colored and is situated above the eye, we call that the bird's "supercilium". In some birds this is "diagnostic", that is, it completely identifies a bird, without the need for any further investigation. The Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) in Memphis has a bright "supercilium".

Carolina Wren

  On this Cape White-Eye (Zosterops pallidus) in South Africa, the white circle drawn closely around its eye is called an "eye-ring".

Cape White-Eye

  The "bill" or "beak" helps to identify the bird. Seed-eaters have short, thick bills to crack open seeds. Shore birds usually have long, thin bills to stab into the surf or pick food out of the mud. Raptors like Hawks and Falcons have hooked beaks like can-openers, to cadaverize and open up their prey. Hummingbirds have thin needles for bills, to suck nectar out of flowers. This Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) has an enormously long bill curved downward.

Eurasian Curlew

  This Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) has an upturned or "recurved" beak.

Avocet

  The wings of birds are complicated. There are "primary", "secondary" and "tertial" feathers, starting at the wing tip and coming in toward the body. "Scapulars" are the feathers where the wing attaches to the body. "Coverts" cover the leading edge of the wing as it flies into the wind. "Coverts" come in three sizes, but this is not important to know at first.

Red-Winged Blackbird

  "Wing-bars" are lines of contrasting color across the wing. A "wing patch" is not a line, but a patch of contrasting color on the wing. The Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) has "wing-bars", more accurately called "epaulettes" of red and/or yellow.

  The Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) has black legs and yellow feet. On some birds, a distinct pattern of color like this is "diagnostic". The golden shoes of the Snowy Egret distinguish it from all other egrets in North America. In Europe the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is quite similar but does not have the yellow "lores", the yellow patch just in front of the eyes of the Snowy Egret.

Snowy Egret

-Robert

(photos by sdrenth, lzieger, jbarrett, rlord, gallus, alsirhan, jbailey and tsohl)