Ornithological Glossary

In general, terms have been defined as they apply to birds. Nevertheless, many terms (especially those naming basic anatomical structures or biological principles) apply to a range of living things beyond birds. In most cases, terms that apply only to birds are noted as such. Most terms that are bolded in the text of the Handbook of Bird Biology appear here. Numbers in brackets following each entry give the primary pages on which the term is defined. 1 678 entries.