Archive for the 'Glossary' Category

Migration: the regular seasonal or annual movement of a species from one area to another.
Some birds are resident in an area the year round. For example, the Australian Magpies in our garden are here all the time. They have a territory of several hectares that they defend with great enthusiasm, […]

Mandibles: the two parts of a bird’s beak, namely, the upper mandible and the lower mandible.

Bird beaks come in a variety of sizes and shapes and they are used in many different ways. Some are long and pointed such as a honeyeater beak that probes flowers for the nectar. […]

Lifer: the first ever time that a birder sees a species of bird it is called a ‘lifer’ or a ‘tick’.

When you are new to the world of birding and birdwatching, nearly every bird you see is a “lifer” or a new tick in your bird note book or field […]

I’ve just done a major updating of my Glossary Of Bird Words.
This glossary contains a list of nearly 80 words and phrases that are used by birders. Many of these are not well known by non-birders. When you go to the Glossary it will contain a simple explanation of each word or phrase. By clicking […]

Juvenile bird: a young fledged bird that has not yet reached sexual maturity.

One has to be careful with juvenile (or immature) birds. It can be tricky identifying them. This is because young birds recently out of the nest sometimes have non-adult plumage. Their colours and feather patterns can vary markedly […]