The Language of Birding
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.
Orientation refers to the navigation ability of birds. Some can orient to a particular direction during migration while others seem to be effected by the length of the day. Surprisingly, little is understood about how this happens.
A Field mark refers to distinctive characteristics used by a birder to identify particular birds in the wild. Field marks can be coloring, shapes, size and so on.
Paddling is a term that carries a different meaning than you might think. It does not refer to peddling through the water. Instead, it refers to stamping the ground to motivate food such as worms to pop up where they can be eaten.
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.
The act of mobbing is very interesting amongst birds. It refers to the little guys standing up to a big predator. Many smaller birds will unite to attack and drive away a larger predator. This act is particularly prevalent during nesting periods.
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.
A diurnal species refers to a bird that feeds and is active primarily during the day, the opposite of how most birds customarily act.
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.
The act of foot-raking is distinct to a classification of birds that feed in the water. The term refers to their moving their feet about in the water to get animals to move so they can feed upon them.
The wattle is one of the easier markers on bird. It is the structure on the top of the head. It can be a comb, gathering of feathers or bone structure. Identify the wattle, and you are on your way to identifying the bird.
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.
Keep bird watching journals to enhance your sightings.
Feel free to grab a unique version of this article from the bird Articles Submissions Service
About the Author
Rating: Not yet rated