From Opus

Revision as of 15:19, 18 October 2009

This section is aimed at explaining the bird and biology specific vocabulary you are likely to meet in other threads in Birdforum.

This page is divided into four sections: Dictionary A-F, Dictionary G-L, Dictionary M-S and Dictionary T-Z.

G

Gape: see Heads.

Gloger's rule: a zoogeographic rule stating that animals living in a warmer, more humid environment tends to be darker than those living in cooler, dryer areas.

Gonys: see Beaks. Related expressions are gonys spot, gonys angle = gondyeal angle also explained in the link.

H

I

Immature (there are two usages of this term):

• 1: strictly speaking, this includes all plumages after juvenile and before full adult plumage is attained. The number of immature plumages can therefore vary widely between groups of species.
• 2: many authors do not properly distinguish between juvenile/juvenal and immature.

Iris: see Heads

References

1. Erritzoe et al. 2007. The Ornithologist's Dictionary. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. ISBN 84-96553-43-4
2. Pyle, Peter 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part 1. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, California. ISBN 0-9618940-2-4

J

Juvenile: (synonymous with Juvenal) the first plumage with real feathers, reached by molt from the downy plumage of a nestling or pullus. Strictly, this is a plumage that will be followed by either the first adult plumage or by the plumage of an immature; however, there seems to be great confusion, and many will use juvenile and immature as synonymous. The juvenile feathers often are different than the feathers of later plumages: firstly, they often push out the downs that they replace, and the down may remain attached to the tip of the juvenile feather for a while; secondly, the body feathers often are more fluffy and downy than later feathers; and thirdly, tail feathers in passerines often are more pointed then tail feathers of later plumages. Erritzoe et al. proposes a change in usage so that a juvenile bird is any "young bird that is out of its nest and able to care for itself".

References

1. Erritzoe et al. 2007. The Ornithologist's Dictionary. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. ISBN 84-96553-43-4
2. Pyle, Peter 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part 1. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, California. ISBN 0-9618940-2-4

K

L

Lore: (more often used in plural, lores) see Heads

This page is divided into four sections: Dictionary A-F, Dictionary G-L, Dictionary M-S and Dictionary T-Z.