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 group (or 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.

Local     Unevenly distributed.

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.