Bird Watching Jargon For Enthusiasts

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.

The act of oiling refers pretty much to what it sounds like. It is the application of oil to the wings and feathers during preening or through water contact.

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 term Papilla refers to a colorful knob often found on the beak or mouth of a hatchling. It acts as a target for the parent to place food upon return to the nest.

The classification of bird species refers to their designation within a hierarchy. The hierarch is class, order, family, genus and species.

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.

When it comes to birds, their display is all about communication. The display involves positioning their body in such a way to convey meanings regarding territoriality, mating and such.

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.

As with humans, bird drumming refers to a noise made by birds. It is typically done by males to attract females. The drums are often trees or other structure that produce a particular noise when knocked.

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!

The act of gleaning refers to birds that pick their food off of upright structures such as trees. Some do it while hovering, but many may just land on the structure and whip their head back and forth to find food.

The important thing to understand about birding is the language is important, but not critical. Gaining an appreciation of our feathered friends through observation is the key.