Feathers and Molt Flashcards
1
Q
Bristles
A
Act like eyelashes, protecting, and to sense prey
2
Q
Contour Feather
A
3
Q
Crest
A
4
Q
Down Feather
A
Primarily serve as insulation
5
Q
Filoplumes
A
Used for sensory, possibly in flight - wind direction, feather placement during flight
6
Q
Greater Coverts
A
7
Q
Lesser Coverts
A
8
Q
Median Coverts
A
9
Q
Powder Down
A
Powder downs, which occur in a variety of birds, including some parrots, are specialized feathers, usually found in well-defined patches, that produce a powdery substance used to clean and waterproof the other feathers.
10
Q
Primary Coverts
A
11
Q
Remiges
A
Wing feathers
12
Q
Retrices
A
Tail feathers
13
Q
Scapulars
A
14
Q
Under tail coverts
A
15
Q
upper tail coverts
A
16
Q
Aftershaft
A
17
Q
Barb
A
18
Q
Barbiule
A
19
Q
Barbicel
A
20
Q
Calamus
A
21
Q
Pennaceous
A
22
Q
Plumulaceous
A
23
Q
Rachis
A
24
Q
Vane
A
25
Carotenoid
Carotenoids produce bright reds, oranges, and yellows. Many of the foods that birds eat, such as berries, seeds, and insects are loaded with carotenoids, and birds must ingest these carotenoid-rich to color their feathers.
26
Melanin
Melanins produce mainly earth tones, such as black, brown, reddish brown, gray and olive colors. Birds can produce melanins from the basic amino acids that occur naturally in the body.
27
Structural Colors
Produced by the interaction of light and the microscopic structure of the surface of the feather, not by pigments. The microscopic structureof the feathers absorbs longer wavelengths and reflects the shorter wavelengths. This produces bright blues and greens as well as UV coloration. White feathers are an example of structural coloration where there are no underlying pigments and all visible wavelengths are reflected back.
28
Apteria
Spaces without feathers
29
Pterylae
Linear tracts of feathers
30
Brood Patch
Patch of featherless skin on breast during nesting, transfers heat to incubating eggs.
31
Plumage
All of the bird's feathers collectively
32
Molting
As feathers become damaged or warn, the old feathers are shed and replaced with brand new (often newly colored) feathers.
33
Pre-juvenal molt
Natal down is shed and replaced by the first set of adult feathers. Birds may remain in juvenal plumage fora a long while follwing nest fledging.
34
Pre-basic molt
Juvenal plumage is replaced by basic plumage. This will repeat annually and the basic plumage will be replenished with new, fresh feathers OR breeding birds in alternate plumage return to their basic plumage for the non-breeding season.
35
Pre-alternate molt
Basic plumage is replaced by alternate plumage.
36
