Describe a Bird

Ever tried to describe a bird and just said “it was... brown”? This guide shows you how to recognise key body parts - like the crown, eye-ring, tail and throat - so you can describe birds more clearly and use field guides with confidence.

Tap on each image to see a larger version.

From clockwise:

  • Crown - top of the head

  • Eye-ring - skin and feathers around eye that are in a circular shape

  • Nape - back of the neck

  • Back - upper body

  • Secondaries - inner flight feathers

  • Primaries - outer flight feathers

  • Rump - above the tail

  • Under tail covets - under and base of the tail

  • Belly - underside of the body below the breast

  • Breast - front of the body below the throat

  • Throat - under the beak

  • Lore - between eye and upper beak

Test your skills!

Here’s an image of a Silvereye.

Looking at the diagram above, what body parts of the Silvereye can you name?

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