Understanding Bird Watching Terminology

By: Spence Talbots

Whether you are new to bird watching or an old hat, the terminology can be complex. Here is a primer on some basic terms as well as more sophisticated ones you should know.

Hawking is a form of food gathering. As the name suggest, the bird will wait at a high point and inspect below for food. When it sights said food, it swoops down and snatches it.

The act of bill sweeping is often associated with nesting. Both parents will sweep their bills over the nest as part of a feeding ritual for chicks. The bills usually contain food for the chicks.

Anting is a bizarre bird ritual. Many species will allow ants to crawl through their wings. The ants effectively preen the wings as they eat and store anything they find.

Birds are often cleaning themselves. This act is referred to as preening. Each species handles it differently, but a common characteristic is the use of the beak to clean wings and such. Not to be confused with anting.

The brood is somewhat of a catch all term meaning either the young birds hatched from a clutch of eggs or the act of incubating eggs in the nest. It can also refer as a verb to the act of keeping chick warm.

Photoperiodism refers to the reaction of birds as well as other animals and plants to the changing amounts of sunlight in a day during the year. Breeding periods and migration are believed to be triggered by it.

The act of probing refers to bird conduct during feeding sessions. Birds will probe areas such as dead bark, mud and what have you to find food. The type of probing is dependent upon the particular bird and is a crude method for identification.

Shearing is a flight specific activity to certain birds. It is the graceful act of dipping the edge of one wing into water and then slowly rotating to dipping the other tip while flying across the water.

The speculum is a marketing area found on a duck. Many ducks have a patch of color on their wings. The color distinction and shape can be used for identification purposes.

Moulting refers to the process whereby birds shed their feathers to be replaced by new ones. Most species moult once a year, but not all.

Totipalmate is another way to identify a bird. The term refers to the webbing or lack thereof between the toes. Those birds with webbing have totipalmate. Non-totipalmate birds tend to have unconnected toes facing different directions.

Twitchers do not refer to birds, but those of us that watch them. If you get head over heals about it, you can get very excited and even nervous about a new sighting. This is known as twitching and you are a twitcher!

Nidifugous refers to a certain type of bird and the hatching process. Many chicks are born unable to take care of themselves. Nidifugous chicks are self-sufficient for the most part immediately after hatching.

The most important thing about bird watching terms is to understand their place. They can help you understand what you are seeing, but should not divert you from the pure beauty of the sighting.