Bird and Parrot Related Glossary
(Avian and Training Terms)
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[A] - Bird Glossary Terms
Abandonment - The feeling of being left behind and out of the flock.
Abdomen - Ventral part or belly of the bird.
Abdominal Air Sac - Two air sacs located in the abdominal region.
Abundance Weaning - Theory of handfeeding developed by Phoebe Greene Linden that states that baby parrots are far more secure and likely to eat on their own when they are fed often and abundantly.
Acropodium - The dorsal (upper) surface of the toes.
Ad Libitum - Literally means At liberty. When used in reference to animals it means the animal is free to eat whenever it wants.
Adaptive Behaviors - Learned behaviors that increase the bird's chances of survival.
Addled Egg - A disruption in the egg yolk vitelline membrane that allows the yolk to mix with the white.
Adopters - Birds that nest in pre-existing cavities (see also Excavators).
Aerie - Lofty nest of a bird of prey.
Aflatoxin - A kind of toxin or poison produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus. It is a particular problem for stored grain and peanuts. It is toxic to both birds and humans.
Agonistic Behavior - Behaviors such as attacking, fleeing, threatening and submission.
Agonistic Threat Display - This is the type of display birds make when they threaten combat.
Air Sac - Most birds have air sacs that connect to the lungs. They have one interclavicular and one clavicular air sac, and pairs of the cranial, thoracic, and abdominal air sacs.
Air Sac Mites - Blood-sucking parasites (Sternostoma tracheacolum) that live in the respiratory tract (trachea, lungs, air sacs) of the bird.
Ala Membrana - The membrane on the aft portion of the wing from which the remiges feathers grow.
Albinism - A true albino lacks any pigment from both its plumage and iris It may also be partial and the bird may appear pied.
Albumin - A class of simple, water-soluble proteins that can be coagulated by heat and are found in egg white, blood serum, milk, and many other animal and plant tissues.
Allergic - Caused by the allergic reaction of the body to a specific substance or condition.
Allergic Alveolitis - Allergic reaction of the body that causes an inflammation in the inner part of the lungs. This ailment is also known as 'Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis', 'Parakeet Dander Pneumoconiosis' and 'Pigeon Lung Disease'.
Allofeeding - Allofeeding occurs when a bird feeds or simulates feeding of another adult bir.
Allopatric Species - When two or more species, arising from a common ancestor, occupy different geographic areas.
Allopreening - One bird preens another.
Allula - (AKA Alula) One to several shortened, stiffened feathers that project from the thumb The purpose of these few feathers is to open a slot for air to be forced down over the top of the win.
Altricial - This term refers to chicks that hatch with their eyes closed, with little of no down, and are totally dependent on their parents.
Alula - (AKA Allula) A small wing-like group of feathers at the bend of the wing (covering the pollex), supported by the anterior most digit. They are thought to help regulate flight.
Alular - (AKA Alula) Small bone in the wing protruding from the Carpometacarps bone. Sometimes referred to as the thumb. The Allula (or Alula) feathers are attached in this region.
Alveoli - Small air sacs in the lungs.
Alveolitis - An inflammation in the inner part of the lungs.
Amazon Foot Mutilation - During certain times of the year, some Amazons pick at their feet and legs until they become raw and bloody.
Ambiens Muscle - The tendon of the Ambiens Muscle passes obliquely over the knee joint It assists in the control of the bird's toes.
Ambient Attention - Attention given to a parrot while they are in their cage and you are in the room with them.
Ambivalent behavior - A distracting behavior exhibited by birds when they plan an attack.
Amniotic closure - Term for the sealed eyes and ears of newly hatched chicks Anal Pteryla.
Anchylosed - Fusion of bones, usually during the development of the animal.
Anisodactyl - This term refers to having three toes forward and one back. This is the configuration of a parrot's feet immediately after hatching. However, within the first few weeks of development one of the toes rotates from the front to the back resulting in a Zygodactyl foot.
Antecedent - The 'A' in the 'ABC's of behavior'. This refers to anything present in the animal's environment that evokes or facilitates a behavior.
Anterior Sac - Air sac group made up from interclavicular, cervicals, and anterior thoracics air sacs.
Anterior Thoracic Sac - Two air sacs located in the thoracic region.
Anthropomorphic - Ascribing human attributes to a non-human creature.
Antifungal Treatments - Oral or intravenous medications used to kill fungus such as Aspergillosis and Candidiasis.
Antigen - A protein that when introduced into the body stimulates the production of an antibody. Antigens include toxins, bacteria, foreign blood cells, and the cells of transplanted organs.
Anti-parasite Medication - Medication designed to kill parasites.
Apterium - Unfeathered area between feather (Pterylae) tract.
APV - See Avian Polyomavirus Disease.
Aratingidae - Taxonomic family name for American parrots.
Ascaridia - Intestinal roundworms.
Aspergillosis - An infection or disease that is caused by fungi of the genus Aspergillus.
Asymptomatic - Having a disease without manifestation of symptoms.
Asynchronous Hatching - A hatching that does not occur at the same. It may take place over two to three calendar days. Parrots hatch Asynchronously while ducks and chickens hatch Synchronously.
Atavism - A trait in an individual presumed to have been present in a past ancesto.
Ataxia - Loss of muscle coordination or balance.
Auricular Feathers - The feathers covering the bird's Meatus or ea.
Auricular Region - Region posterior to the orbital region on the side of the head.
Auriculars - Loose-webbed feathers on the sides of a bird's head and overlying its ear openings. These feathers are also called "ear coverts".
Auscultation - Listening to body sounds with a stethoscope.
Avian Botulism - (a.k.a. Western Duck Sickness) One of the three most important disease problems of wild migratory birds caused by exposure to a toxin produced by the botulinum bacterium.
Avian Influenza - (a.k.a. Bird Flu) An infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. Bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.
Avian Leukosis - A division of the RNA tumor viruses that causes a group of transmissible diseases of poultry. Also called avian leukosis-sarcoma virus.
Avian Polyomavirus Disease - (a.k.a. Budgerigar Fledgling Disease). Avian Polyoma Virus (APV) was first discovered in 1981 in Budgies and was called Budgerigar Fledgling disease. Avian Polyoma virus is a wide spread virus found in different degrees throughout the world.
Avian Polyoma Virus - See Avian Polyomavirus Disease.
Avian Tuberculosis - This is a bacterial disease that has zoonotic potential.
Aviary bird - A bird kept in a very large enclosure and seldom handled by anyone.
Aviculture - The keeping, breeding, and all other aspects of bird husbandry.
Axillaries - (a.k.a. Axillary) Feather.
Axillary Area - Ventral area between the body and the wing.
[B] - Bird Glossary Terms
B&G - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Blue and Gold Macaw.
Babby - The word coined by Sally Blanchard to describe a baby companion parrot.
Backcross - The pairing of a chick back to one of its parents (see Inbreeding).
Bacterial Culture - An intentional growth of a bacteria in a Petri dish taken from a sample. This sometimes makes it possible to identify the bacteria.
Barb - Feathery branches growing out of each side of the shaft of a feather. The barb is attached to the Rachis, i.e., these constitute the first branches off the main trunk of the feather.
Barbering - Feather chewing. This refers to an obsessive behavior of the bird chewing on its feathers without plucking them out.
Barbicels - Tiny fibers attached to each Barbule.
Barbule - Smaller branches of the feather's Barbs. Barbules are attached to the Barb and provide the rigidity to the vane by cross hooking with another barbule on the adjacent barb.
Baseline - (a.k.a. CBC) An initial CBC usually taken from a healthy bird. The results can be used in the future when diagnosing an ailment. A comparison between the Baseline and another CBC can indicate a change in the blood which may be helpful to the veterinarian.
BC - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Blue Crown Conure.
BE2 - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Bare Eyed Cockatoo.
Beak Grinding - Parrots often grind their upper and lower beak together as they relax to go to sleep.
Behavior Chains - A sequence of behaviors. Often referred to in training when teaching complicated behaviors that are made up of several less complicated behaviors in a sequence (also see Homogeneous Chains and Heterogeneous Chains).
Behavioral Environment - Behavioral conditions, especially redundant behaviors including habits, present in the bird and in individuals around the bird.
Behaviorism - A school of psychology that confines itself to the study of observable and quantifiable aspects of behavior and excludes subjective phenomena, such as emotions or motives. Also called behavioral psychology.
Benjamin - The smallest and usually the youngest chick.
Belly - Or abdomen. That part of the undersurface of a bird's body from the breastbone to the vent or to the opening of the digestive tract.
BFA - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Blue Front Amazon.
BFD - Budgerigar Fledgling Disease.
BID - Used in prescribing medications it means twice a day. Literally Latin for bis in die.
Bill Sweeping - A display in which a pair of birds sweep their bills back and forth over the bark near their nest hole. Often the birds have crushed insects in their bills.
Bill Tip Organ - An organ that the bird uses to sense vibrations and food. It consists of a bundle of highly sensitive nerve endings. In parrots it is more developed in the lower beak than in the upper.
Bipedal - Standing on two (bi) rather than four (quad) legs.
Bird Banding - Bird Banding is the process by which birds are 'banded' or braceleted by a small metal ring on their leg that has an identifying serial number unique in the world.
Bird Fancier's Lung - An allergic disease called hypersensitivity pneumonitis that develops in a small portion of bird owners. There may be few or no symptoms in its early stages. One cause of the disease is inhalation of dried bird droppings.
Bird Watcher - Person who identifies and observes birds in their natural habitat as a recreation.
Birdhouse - Another name for a nest box, or a home for a bird.
Birding - The field activity of observing birds.
Blood Feather - A new feather that is emerging from its follicle and is still growing and being supplied with blood.
Body Language - Facial expressions and the movement of the body and feathers to communicate a parrot's mood and/or intentions.
BP2 - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Black Palm Cockatoo.
Breastbone - (AKA Sternum) is a long, flat bone located in the center of the thorax (chest).
Breeding Cycle - Time period from nest building through egg laying and raising young to the point of independence.
Breeding Plumage - The colorful plumage that the males of many species acquire for the breeding season.
Bridging Stimulus - The Clicker in Clicker training is used to bridge the time between the behavior being reinforced and the reinforcer.
Brood - A group of young animals such as birds in a nest, or the process by which the parent birds maintain the body heat of the young in a nest by sitting on or over the young.
Brood patch - An area on the breast of the female bird that often becomes thickened, more vascularized, and feathers lost during the brooding period Brooder A heated chamber used to keep young chicks warm.
Brood Reduction - Birds sometimes do not feed all the chicks that hatch. They spend most of their efforts feeding the oldest chick(s). Younger chicks are allowed to die.
Brooding - When adult birds sit on the young to keep them warm.
BSL - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Blue Streak Lory.
Budgerigar Fledgling Disease - (a.k.a. Avian Polyoma Virus) Now called Avian Polyoma Virus (APV). It was first discovered in 1981 in Budgies and was called Budgerigar Fledgling disease. Avian Polyoma virus is a wide spread virus found in different degrees throughout the world.
Budgie - Short for budgerigar, the technically correct term for the bird commonly referred to as the parakeet.
Bursa of Fabricus - An organ that is similar to the spleen in humans. It produces immune cells called 'B cells' that make antibodies.
[C] - Bird Glossary Terms
C2 - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Citron Cockatoo.
CAG - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Congo African Grey.
Cage Bound - A bird that is so fixated on an unchanging environment that any change stimulates either aggression or fearfulness in a captive bird.
Calamus - Alternate name for a quill, i.e., the bare portion of the feather where it is attached to the wing.
Calcite - Calcium Carbonate. The primary inorganic component of the egg shell.
Call Convergence - When the vocalizations of a pair of birds or nearby flocks approach similarity or converge.
Candidiasis - A fungous infection caused by a species of Candida, especially Candida albicans, that can involve various parts of the body, such as the skin and mucous membranes. Also called Moniliasis.
Candle - (a.k.a. Candling) This is a technique used to follow the development of the chick embryo in the egg. A bright light capable of penetrating the shell of an egg is used in order to see development of the chick's vascular system and other organs.
Capturing - Term used in Clicker Training. If you witness an animal behavior that you would like to train, you Click & Treat to capture the behavior (also see Modeling and Luring).
Carina - The sternum of flying birds.
Carnivorous Birds - Flesh-eating birds.
Carotenes Pigment - The term carotene is used for several orange pigments having the formula C40H56.
Carotenoids - Any of a class of yellow to red pigments, including the Carotenes and the Xanthophylls. These are a set of pigments that impart the bright yellows, oranges, and reds to the feathers, skin, egg yolk and eyes of many bird species.
Carotid Arteries - A pair of arteries on opposite sides of the neck that carry blood to the head and brain. This is the case for most parrot species, but not all. For example, Cockatoos only have only a left Carotid artery.
Carpometacarpus - Major bone in the wing located between the Radius/Ulna and the Major Digit.
Carpus - The cluster of bones in the wing between the radius and ulna and the metacarpus.
CAS - (a.k.a. Certified Avian Specialist) A pet industry designation for someone who has taken a class and an open book test on bird husbandry.
Casual Attention - The time spent with parrots while we participate in other activities such as reading or watching TV.
Cavity nesting birds - These are bird that nest in cavities (see also Excavators and Adopters).
Celeration - A measure of the rate of learning over time.
Cere - Waxy or fleshy protuberance at the base of the bill of some birds.
Cervical Air Sac - Two air sacs located in the cervical region.
Chalazae - These are the two spiral strands of denser albumin that serve to hold the yolk in position in the egg.
Chap - Either the upper or lower part of a bird's bill.
Chick - A young or new born bird.
Chlamydia Psittaci - See Chlamydophila Psittaci.
Chlamydiosis - Any infection or disease caused by species of Chlamydia. See also Chlamydia Psittaci.
Chlamydophila Psittaci - An obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen. It is the cause of Ornithosis or Psittacosis. Formerly known as Chlamydia Psittaci.
Choana - The slit in palate of the bird's mouth.
Classical Conditioning - Conditioning in which the Conditioned Stimulus (as the sound of a bell) is paired with and precedes the Unconditioned Stimulus (as the sight of food) until the conditioned stimulus alone is sufficient to elicit the response (as salivation in a dog) (compare with OPERANT CONDITIONING).
Claw - A pointed horny cap over the distal phalanx.
Cleidoic - Related to eggs completely enclosed in a shell.
Clever Hans - Any circumstance where an amazing behavior is actually consciously cued by the experimenter. Clever Hans was actually a horse in Germany at the turn of the 20th century that was thought to have amazing math skills but was actually being cued by his trainer and other observers.
Click and Treat - (a.k.a. C&T) In Clicker training it is the 'click' of the clicker followed by the giving of a 'treat'.
Clicker - A small plastic box that makes a distinctive click-click! Sound when you depress and release the metal strip inside it.
Clicker Training - It is a method of Operant Conditioning based on the work of B.F. Skinner. The process of using a clicker to mark a desired behavior in animal training. It was originally used in training animals for which traditional methods of obedience training weren't useful, such as dolphins in wild-animal shows or carrier pigeons used for specific military purposes.
Cloaca - This is the excretory vent of a bird. Inside this vent are three compartments: the Coprodeum, Urodeum, and Proctodeum.
Cloacal - Pertaining to the cloaca.
Cloacal Ovocentesis - Treatment for Egg Binding that involves inserting a needle through the cloacal into the egg and removing the egg's contents. This makes the egg smaller and easier to pass (also see Percutaneous Ovocentesis).
Closed Band - A completely closed ring of metal that can only be put on a bird within a certain time of hatching, usually from 8-10 days in a small bird and up to four weeks in the larger species of birds.
Clutch - The complete set of eggs laid and incubated by the hen.
CM - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Catalina Macaw.
Coccygeall Vertebrae - Vertebrae located near the bottom of the birds vertebrae.
Cock - The male bird of a species.
Coelom - A cavity that occurs in higher animals between the intestine and the outer body wall. In the last few days before hatching, chicks draw the remaining yolk into this cavity. This enables them to survive their first few days of life without food.
Cognitive Functions - Mental processes or faculties, such as awareness, perception, memory, reasoning, and speech that are controlled by the brain.
Colony - A group of birds nesting together in close association.
Commissure - This is where the upper mandible (Maxilla) meets the lower mandible (Mandibular).
Companion Bird - A bird that lives compatibly with humans.
Complete Blood Count - (a.k.a. CBC) A blood test that includes measurements of white blood cells, red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets, and possibly others (also see Baseline CBC).
Conditioned Reinforcers - (a.k.a. Secondary Reinforcer) An initially meaningless signal (sound, light, motion etc) that is deliberately presented before or during the delivery of a Primary Reinforcer.
Conjunctivitis - Inflammation of the tissues inside the eyelid.
Contact Call - The word or sounds the bird greets all 'flock members' with such as 'hello' with a companion human or a 'chirp with a companion bird.
Continuous Breeders - Birds such as Chickens that breed throughout the year (see also Opportunistic Breeders).
Contour Feather - Predominate feather type found on the body, wings, and tail of the bird.
Cooperative Breeding - In some bird species, adults other than the parents assist in the rearing of the chicks.
Co-parenting - When a person assists a pair of birds in rearing their chicks.
Coprodeum - Located inside the Cloaca, this is the terminus of the rectum.
Coprophagy - Eating of feces or dung.
Coracoid Clavicle - A beak-shaped bone articulating with the scapula and sternum in most lower vertebrates, such as birds and reptiles.
Counter Shading - Birds that are shaded dark on their backs and light on the breasts.
Courtship Dancing - Elaborate displays, most often performed by the males of certain species in an attempt to attract a female mate.
covert - The short feathers that cover the bases of the Remiges (flight feathers) and project out over the quills.
Craw - A pouch in many birds and some lower animals that resembles a stomach for storage and preliminary maceration of food.
Crepuscular - Being active at twilight or before sunrise like bats, some insects and birds.
Crest - The long feathers on the head that raise or lower according to mood. Cockatiels and cockatoos are the best known examples of parrots with crests.
Crissum - The feathers or area under the tail of a bird surrounding the Cloacal opening.
Crop - Thin-walled, elastic sac in the Esophagus where food is temporarily stored prior to passage into the main digestive organs and can be regurgitated to feed chicks. In parrot chicks that have just been fed, the crop is an obvious rounded, distended pouch.
Crop Burn - Crop burn is a serious problem that results when chicks are fed food that is too hot.
Crop Milk - 'Milk' that is produced in the crop by epithelial cells that swell and burst.
Crown - The top of the head of a bird; the area between its forehead or back of the head. In some birds, such as the Blue Jay, it can be called the crest.
Crural Feathers - The feathers covering the bird's legs.
Crus - (a.k.a. Tibiotarsus) The lower leg sometimes referred to as the shank or 'drumstick'.
Cryptic Coloration - (a.k.a. Crypsis) Birds that have coloration that allow them to conceal themselves are cryptically colored.
Cue - A command given to elicit a response. A cue may be verbal ('sit') or non-verbal such as a hand signal or flash of a light.
Culmen - The dorsal ridge of the beak from the forehead to its tip (i.e. upper ridge of the Maxilla).
Cyanism - A mutation resulting in a blue coloration of the plumage.
[D] - Bird Glossary Terms
D2 - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Ducorps Cockatoo.
DAP - Dead after Pipping. This is when a chick dies just after breaking the shell in the hatching process.
Dead In Shell - (a.k.a. DIS) Dead-in-Shell When an egg embryo dies before it hatches.
Dermanyssus Gallinae - Red mite.
Dertrum - The tip of the upper bill.
Desmognathous Palate - Unlike mammals, the bird's palate does not completely separate the oral cavity from the nasal cavity.
Determinate Egg Layer - Birds that lay only one set of eggs and stop.
Diastataxic Featheration - Wings (of all parrots) have a small gap between two of their secondary flight feathers while they still have a matching fifth secondary covert feather (also see Eutaxic).
Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior - Shaping the absence of a behavior.
Digit - Bone in the toes.
Digital Feathers - (a.k.a. Digitals) Feathers borne on the wing digits.
Digitals - (a.k.a. Digital Feathers) Feathers borne on the wing digits.
Dimorphic - A species is dimorphic when there are distinct visual characteristics between the sexes. (also see Monomorphism).
Direct Instruction - A method of instruction that is explicit, intensive, and teacher-directed. This method is based on a careful analysis of different content areas to determine the sequence of skills and concepts needed to master a wide variety of academic subjects.
DIS - (a.k.a. Dead in Shell) Dead-in-Shell When an egg embryo dies before it hatches.
Dispersal - Movement of a young bird from the site where it hatches to the site where it breeds.
Displaced Aggression - The term for aggression toward an object, person or another bird due to an inaccessible stimulus.
Displacement Behavior - When an animal is motivated to perform two or more behaviors that are in conflict with each other (e.g. approach-withdrawal, greeting but fear of being punished). The inability to perform both of the strongly motivated behaviors can lead to conflict resulting in the performance of a displacement behavior. This is usually a normal behavior shown at an inappropriate time, appearing out of context for the occasion. Grooming, yawning, circling, and vocalizations may be performed in stressful situations as displacement behaviors.
Diurnal Birds - Birds that are active during the day and roost at night. Most parrots are diurnal.
Domestic Bird - A bird that has been bred within the country.
Down - This is a collective term for the short fluffy, unzipped feathers closest to the body or the fuzzy feathers on a chick just after hatching.
Downy Plumage - Refers to the plumage of a chick upon hatching.
Drawdown - Change in the air cell portion of the egg shortly before the chick begins hatching. It results when the chick breaks the inner shell membrane.
Dropping - This is the common name for the bird's excreta. Droppings are composed of three different excretions: Urine, Urates, and the Feces.
Dueting - When two birds, usually mates, sing a duet.
DYH - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Double Yellow Head Amazon.
Dyspnea - Difficulty breathing or labored breathing.
[E] - Bird Glossary Terms
E2 - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Eleanora Cockatoo.
Ecdysis - The shedding of plumage during molt (see also Endysis).
Ecto-parasite - External parasites such as mites, fleas, etc.
Egg Binding - Egg binding is a hen's inability to pass an egg.
Egg Bound - Potentially fatal condition in which a hen is unable to expel an egg that has become lodged in lower oviduct or cloaca. Poor nutrition, stress or laying too young are thought to be possible causes.
Egg Dumping - When a female lays her eggs in the nest of another bird, sometimes creating very large clutches.
Egg tooth - A small raised point along the top of the Maxilla used as an aid to breaking open an egg during hatching.
Eggshell - The calciferous outer casing of the egg that protects the embryo during incubation.
Elizabethan Collar - (a.k.a. E. Collar) A collar used by some veterinarians to prevent the bird from reaching it's feathers.
END - See Exotic Newcastle Disease.
Endoscopy - inspection of body organs or cavities using a flexible, lighted tube called an endoscope.
Endo-parasite - Internal parasite such as a Fluke or Filarid (roundworms).
Endysis - The replacement process after Ecdysis or molting (see also Ecdysis).
Enteritis - Inflammation of the intestine.
Environmental Enrichment - A term used for anything that is done to make the environment of your bird more interesting. Enrichment is critical to the mental health of all parrots.
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay - (a.k.a. ELISA) Test used for diagnosis of specific infectious diseases. An enzyme is used as the indicator system; when the enzyme and the antigen.
Epigamic Display - The term for the behavior of birds making sexual displays. It is used to attract a female or to repel a competing male.
Epithelium - Membranous tissue composed of one or more layers of cells separated by very little intercellular substance and forming the covering of most internal and external surfaces of the body and its organs.
Erythristic - Relating to or marked by Erythrism. Having a ruddy complexion and reddish hair or in the case of birds, red or reddish feathers.
Ethmomandibularis muscle - Unique to parrots, this muscle controls the Prokinetic Upper beak.
Ethogram - A complete list of all the different kinds of behaviors an animal species can exhibit.
Ethology - The study of animal behavior.
Eumelanin Melanin - The dark pigment in the bird's feathers that imparts black and dark brown coloration.
Eutaxic Featheration - Wings that have no gap in secondary feathers. All parrots have a gap (also see Diastataxic).
Evaporative Weight Loss - During the incubation and development of the chick, the egg slowly loses weight due to the evaporation of water.
Event Marker - A signal to indicate exactly what behavior is being reinforced. A Clicker is used in Clicker training as an event marker.
Excavators - Birds, such as woodpeckers, that make their own cavity to nest in (see also Adopters).
Exotic Newcastle Disease - (a.k.a. END) A highly contagious disease that spreads rapidly and causes high mortality rates. END is so virulent that many birds die without showing any clinical signs.
External Acoustic Meatus - The passage between the ear opening and the middle ear.
Extinction - A behavior that dies down by itself for lack of reinforcement (also see Extinction Burst).
Extinction Bursts - If an animal is reinforced for a particular behavior and then the reinforcement is removed, the animal will offer the behavior with a 'burst' of activity (faster, harder and/or with more intensity) prior to extinction of the behavior (also see Extinction).
Extrinsic - Cause originating outside the body.
Extruded Foods - Sometimes called nuggets, these foods are bound under temperatures high enough to pasteurize them.
Eyas - A nestling usually applied to falcon chicks.
Eye Pinning - The dilation and contraction of a parrot's pupil as a sign of excitement and in some cases aggression.
Eye-ring - Feathers immediately around the eyes that are distinctively colored in some birds.
[F] - Bird Glossary Terms
Feather Destructive Behavior - Any feather destructive behavior such as feather plucking, feather shredding, feather pulling, and feather snipping.
Feather Mites - Feather mites are normally scavengers feeding on feather fragments and lipids, scaly skin debris, and feather fungi and algae.
Feather Plucking - (a.k.a. Feather Picking) Removal of feathers by the parrot, usually attributed to boredom, stress or dietary deficiencies.
Feather Sexing - A method of sexing which is non-invasive. A drop of blood is taken from the bird, usually by pulling out a blood feather. The chromosomes are used to determine the sex of the bird.
Feces - One of the three components of the bird's excreta (droppings). Often brown or green and shaped like a worm (also see Urine and Urates).
Femur - Major leg bone located near the body.
Feral Population - An animal, usually domestic, that reverts to living in a wild state.
FIDS - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Feathered Kids.
Field Mark - A characteristic or combination of characteristics such as color, shape, or specific marking (eye rings, wing bars, breast stripes), by which a species of bird can be distinguished from other species.
Filoplumes - Lean, wispy, hair-like feathers that grow at the base of each contour feather.
Flashing - (a.k.a. Pinning) The rapid alternate shrinking and dilation of a parrot's pupils when it sees something highly interesting.
Flecking - Unwanted darker markings on the head, typically associated with Budgerigars.
Fledge - A bird fledges when it leaves the nest and has its first flight.
Fledgling - Young bird that has feathered but is still being fed by its parents.
Flight Feathers - Specialized contour feathers found on the wings and tail. Long, primary flight feathers are attached to what would be the equivalent of a human hand area.
Flight Response - Instinctual automatic reaction to real or perceived threats.
Flock - A group of birds that keep in close proximity with each other.
Flooding - An outdated technique for dealing with fear in animals that involves immersing the subject suddenly and totally in whatever he fears.
Fluency - The number of corrects/in-corrects per a period of time. Note that this is a frequency measure and an accuracy measure.
Focused Attention - In-your-face attention totally focused on your parrot.
Forage - The search for and consumption of food.
Forced Weaning - Depriving a parrot chick of food in an attempt to make him eat on his own.
Frightmolt - When frightened or attacked some birds will molt their tail feathers and other feathers. The feathers actually appear to be let loose from the follicles all at once.
Frugivorous - Birds that feed primarily on fruit.
Full Spectrum Light - A light source that emits both visible and ultraviolet wavelengths of light.
Furcula - Commonly referred to as the 'wishbone'.
[G] - Bird Glossary Terms
G2 - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Goffins Cockatoo.
Gamosematic - Individual characteristics in appearance or behavior that allow members of a pair to find one another.
Gape - The open mouth of a chick seeking food.
Gavage Feeding - (a.k.a. Tube Feeding) Feeding by inserting a tube down the throat and into the crop.
GC - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Green Cheeked Conure.
GCC - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Gold Capped Conure.
GCP - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Grey Cheeked Parakeet.
GE - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Grand Eclectus.
Genus - A taxonomic category ranking below a family and above a species and generally consisting of a group of species exhibiting similar characteristics. In taxonomic nomenclature the genus name is used, either alone or followed by a Latin adjective or epithet, to form the name of a species.
Geophagy - The eating of dirt.
Gerontology - The study of aging in people or pets.
Giardia - This is a single-celled opportunistic protozoan that is commonly found in untreated water.
Glottis - The air passage at the back of the base of the tongue just below the food canal or esophagus.
Gnathotheca - The horney covering of the lower mandible of a bird.
Gonys - Lower edge of mandible.
Graduated - Feathers successively shorter from center to outside (tail).
Gram's Stain - Laboratory staining technique that distinguishes between two groups of bacteria by the identification of differences in the structure of their cell walls.
Granivorous - Animals that eat grain and seeds.
Gravid - Heavy with young or eggs.
Greater Primary Covert - The feathers that overlap the primary flight feathers.
Greater Secondary Covert - The feathers that overlap the Secondary flight feathers.
Green Egg - A freshly laid egg that has not been incubated and, therefore, the embryo has not begun to develop.
Grit - Small pieces of rock, shell, or other hard substances that birds eat to help them digest other foods. Grit helps grind up coarse vegetable matter.
GSC - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Greater Sulphur Crested Cockatoo.
Gular Feathers - The small feathers beneath the bird's eyes.
Gular Sac - Bare skin on throat and base of mandible.
GW - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Green Wing Macaw.
Gymnorhinal - Nares (nasal openings) that are exposed and not covered by feathers.
[H] - Bird Glossary Terms
Habituation - When a subject is exposed to an aversive stimulus that it cannot escape or avoid and which nothing it does has any effect on it will eventually stop reacting to the stimulus.
Hallux - The one toe that points posteriorly (if there is one toe pointing posteriorly).
Hamuli - The hooklets on the feather Barbules that link the feather vane together.
Hand Fed Bird - (a.k.a. Hand-Reared or Hand-Raised) The babies are taken from parents and fed by people.
Hand Raised Bird - (a.k.a. Hand-Reared or Hand-Fed) The babies are taken from parents and fed by people.
Hand Reared Bird - (a.k.a. Hand-Fed or Hand-Raised) The babies are taken from parents and fed by people.
Health Certificate - A form signed by a veterinarian, certifying that our pet is healthy and doesn't carry any communicable diseases.
Height Dominance - The theory that we have much more control over our companion parrots if we are always taller than they are.
Hen - A female bird of any species.
Herbivorous - Birds that eat primarily plants.
Herbst's Corpuscles - Encapsulated nerve endings which occur in a bird's leg joints and other parts of the body. These bundles of nerves are thought to be used as vibration detectors.
Heterochroism - Plumage coloration that is aberrant to that of the predominant wild form.
Heterodactyl - (a.k.a. Zygodactyle) Any bird having the first and second toes directed backward the third and fourth directed forward. Most birds have four toes, three point forward and one aft. Parrots, cuckoos and woodpeckers are zygodactyle and have two toes pointing forward and two pointing aft.
Heterogeneous Chains - Behavior Chains consisting of various different behaviors that are reinforced only when the last behavior is completed.
Histopathology - The study of diseased tissue and cell samples under a microscope.
HM - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Hahns Macaw.
HMC - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Half Moon Conure.
Holorhinal Nares - Nostrils that are round as is the case for parrots (also see Schizorhinal).
Homeothermic - (a.k.a. Homoiothermic or Homothermic) Birds and mammals having a constant and relatively high body temperature.
Homogeneous Chains - Behavior Chains in which the same behavior is repeated over and over again.
Hospital cage - Relatively small, temporary, specially-equipped box to isolate and warm a sick bird.
Humeral Feathers - The flight feathers on the fore-limb of the wing.
Humeral Patagium - The membrane of skin posterior to the humerous extending from the upper arm to the trunk.
Humerus - Bone in the arm connected to the body.
HYM - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Hyacinth Macaw.
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis - See Allergic Alveolitis.
[I] - Bird Glossary Terms
Ileum - (AKA Ilium) Bone in the pelvis region attached to the Synsacrum.
Ilium - (AKA Ileum) Bone in the pelvis region attached to the Synsacrum.
Immunofluorescence - Any of various methods that use antibodies chemically linked to a fluorescent dye to identify or quantify antigens in a tissue sample.
Immunostimulants - Medications used to enhance the immune response.
Imping - A procedure where feathers are spliced into the wing. Often done in falconry to improve flight.
Imprinting - A rapid learning process by which a newborn or very young animal establishes a behavior pattern of recognition and attraction to another animal of its own kind or to a substitute.
Inbreeding - Mating together of closely related birds, such as mother and son, usually carried out to emphasize desirable traits.
Incompatible Behavior - A behavior that is physically incompatible with another behavior. Sometimes used in training to eliminate an unwanted behavior.
Incubator - A chamber used for hatching eggs whereby both temperature and humidity are controlled.
Indeterminate Egg Layer - (a.k.a. Double Hatching) Birds that can be induced to lay additional eggs by removing or destroying eggs they have already laid.
Infundibular Cleft - The opening from the Oropharynx into the middle ear of the bird.
Infundibulum - The first segment of the oviduct. The ovarian opening of a fallopian tube.
Ingluvius - (a.k.a. Ingluvies) The bird's crop.
Insectivorous - Birds that eat mainly insects.
Interclavicular Sac - Air sac located between the clavicles.
Interramal Space - The cavity in the lower mandible where the tongue is located.
Involution - A change in a body organ that occurs with age that does not allow it to perform its original function.
Ischium - Bone in the pelvis region.
Isofluran - Used to cause general anesthesia (loss of consciousness) in birds during surgery. Replaced with Sevoflurane in modern anesthesiology.
Isthmus - The third segment of the Oviduct. At this point in the egg's journey down the oviduct, the membranes form and calcification starts.
[J] - Bird Glossary Terms
Jackpot - In training, it is a reward that is much bigger (maybe 10 times bigger) than the normal reinforcer.
Jousting - When two birds slap or grab each other's beaks. Often a playful sign but injury can result.
Juvenile Bird - An immature bird that feeds independently, but has not developed it's first winter plumage.
[K] - Bird Glossary Terms
Karen Pryor - A scientist with an reputation in, marine mammal biology and behavioral psychology. Through her work with dolphins in the 1960's she pioneered modern, force-free animal training methods. She is a founder and leading proponent of Clicker Training.
Karyotyping - A method of sexing which is non-invasive. A drop of blood is taken from the bird, usually by pulling out a blood feather. The number of chromosomes then is looked at to determine the sex of the bird. A male bird has two Z chromosomes and a female one Z and one W.
Keet - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Parakeet.
Keratin - The substance that feathers are composed of. It's a protein molecule manufactured by skin cells.
Knemidocoptes - Scaly-Face mites.
[L] - Bird Glossary Terms
Lactobacillus Preparation - A preparation that contains a harmless bacteria that helps to reestablish the useful bacteria. Often used to treat or prevent diarrhea caused by an infection or by antibiotics.
Laparoscopy - A surgical tool used for sexing a bird. The bird is anesthetized, and a small slit is cut into the bird's abdomen. The Laparoscope is inserted, allowing the vet to view the reproductive organs.
Latency - The name given to the period of time which elapses between the presentation of a stimulus and the occurrence of a response.
Laterality - The favoring of one side of the body over the other.
LCA - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Lilac Crowned Amazon.
Leaf Bathing - Bathing on wet leaf matter that may contain specific oils that assist in cleaning or preening.
Learned Helplessness - If an animal is taught to avoid an aversive stimulus and is then put in a situation where it is impossible to avoid the aversive stimulus it will gradually give up trying to avoid the stimulus.
Lesser Primary covert - The next row of coverts up from the Median Primary Coverts that cover the primary flight feathers.
Lesser Secondary covert - The next row of coverts up from the Median Secondary Coverts that cover the secondary flight feathers.
Leucism - A dilution in pigmentation of the plumage.
Leucocytozoon - Blood parasite.
Leutenizing Hormone - (a.k.a. LH) This hormone stimulates ovulation.
Lice - Any of numerous small, flat-bodied, wingless biting or sucking insects of the orders Mallophaga or Anoplura, many of which are external parasites on various animals, including humans.
Line-breeding - The practice of pairing related birds together, but not birds showing a direct relationship, e.g. hen-son, which is Inbreeding.
Lipochromes - Any of several yellow pigments resembling Carotene and Xanthophyll.
Lore - The narrow area between the maxilla and the eye.
LSC - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Lessor Sulphur Crested Cockatoo.
Luring - Term used in Clicker Training. Enticing an animal to offer a behavior using a lure such as a food treat or Target (also see Capturing and Modeling).
[M] - Bird Glossary Terms
M2 - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Moluccan Cockatoo.
Macaw Wasting Syndrome - See Proventricular Dilation Disease.
Macaw Fading Syndrome - See Proventricular Dilation Disease.
Magnum - The second segment of the oviduct where most of the egg white is added to the egg as it moves down the duct.
Major Digit - Bone at the tip of the wing where some of the primary flight feathers are attached.
Malar Region - The area of the head that would correspond to the human cheek, that is from the base of the lower bill to the angle of the jaw.
Mandibular Prognathism - Crooked beak. When the upper beak deviates from the center causing the lower beak to protrude.
Mandibular Rhamphotheca - The horny covering of the Lower beak.
Mandibular Rostrum - Lower beak.
Manteling - Stretching a wing and a leg on the same side of the body.
Mantle - A term for the plumage of the back of a bird and the wing coverts on the top of its wings, especially applied to hawks and gulls; specifically the feathers of the back and the folded wings.
Manus - Latin for hand, but for birds refers to the wing.
Marginal covert - Coverts above the row of Lesser Coverts.
Maxilla - Short for Maxillary Rostrum, i.e. the upper beak.
Maxillary Rhamphotheca - The horny covering of the Upper beak.
Maxillary Rostrum - Upper beak.
MBC - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Maroon Bellied Conure.
Meatus - The external opening to the ear.
Median Primary covert - The next row of Coverts up from the Primary Coverts that cover the Primary flight feathers.
Median Secondary covert - The next row of Coverts up from the Greater Secondary Coverts that cover the Secondary flight feathers.
Melanin - The dark pigment in the bird's feathers. There are two types of Melanin (see also Eumelanin Melanin and Phaeomelanin Melanin).
Melanism - Birds that are a dramatically darker color than normal.
Membrana Putaminis - The inner most membrane of the egg that is in contact with the Albumin.
Membrana Testa - The outer most membrane of the egg closest to the egg shell.
Meroblastic Embryonic Development - Embryonic Development of bird eggs proceeds through stages that consume part of the original supply of nutrients of the eggs. (also see Holoblastic Development).
Metatarsal - (a.k.a. Digital Pads) The scaly mounds that protect the bottom of the foot.
MGM - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Miligold Maca.
Microchip - An electronic chip the size of a grain of rice that contains a unique number to identify the bird. For birds it is usually inserted into the breast muscle. Once in place, it can be read with a handheld scanner.
Migration - An extended journey a bird makes from one place to anothe.
Mimetic - Relating to, characteristic of, or exhibiting mimicr.
Minor Digit - Small bone near the tip of the wing below the Major Digit.
Minor Wing Coverts - The next row of Coverts up (toward the body) from the Median Wing Coverts.
Mite - Tiny eight-legged animals, some of which burrow into the skin, some feed on blood, or feathers.
MM - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Military Maca.
MM2 - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Major Mitchell (Leadbeater) Cockato.
Modeling - Term used in Clicker Training. The trainer shows the animal what to do or how something is done such as the trainer shaking his/her head (also see Capturing and Luring).
Molt - Periodic shedding of feathers that are subsequently replaced by new one.
Monomorphism - Birds which you cannot determine their sex by their appearance alone (also see Dimorphic).
Mosaic - A mosaic is an animal in which the embryo develops from two or more different genetic stocks within the ova.
MRHA - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Mexican Red Head Amazo.
MSC - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Medium Sulphur Crested Cockato.
Mule - Hybrid offspring produced from mating of a canary with a British finch.
Muscularia Complexus - The 'pipping' muscle. This is a very obvious strong muscle in the back of a hatching chick's neck that aids in the opening of the egg.
[N] - Bird Glossary Terms
Nape - The back part of the neck. In a bird, the nape is the part of the hind neck just below the back part of the head.
Nares - (plural of Naris) The pair of nasal opening.
Naris - (singular of Nares) A nasal opening.
NDV - See Newcastle Disease Virus.
Necropsy - An examination of a dead body.
Nectivorous - Birds that feed largely on the nectar of flowers or the juices of fruit.
Negative Punishment - When the trainer subtracts ('subtracts'='negative') something the animal likes in order to make it stop doing something. In training jargon it is an attempt to decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring in the future by the removal of a stimulus.
Negative Reinforcement - In training it is something the subject wants to avoid such as a blow, a frown, or an unpleasant sound.
Neonates - A newborn, typically up to four weeks of age.
Neophobia - Literally 'fear of the new'. Most parrot species exhibit a marked hesitation in accepting new additions to their cage and new foods.
Nestling - A young bird that has not left, or abandoned, the nest.
New World Birds - Species of birds that are native to North, Central, South Americas and the Caribbean. This includes the families of macaws, Pionus Parrots, Amazon Parrots, caiques, conures, and others.
Newcastle Disease Virus - See Exotic Newcastle Disease.
Nictitating Membrane - The 'Third Eye-lid' or translucent membrane on the nasal side of each eye between the cornea and the eyelid that is pulled obliquely across the eye for protection.
Nidicolous - Remaining in the nest after hatching until grown or nearly grown. Also sharing the nest of another species of animal such as Nidicolous mites (compare to Nidifugous).
Nidifugous - Leaving the nest a short time after hatching. (compare to Nidicolous).
Night Frights - Unexplained thrashing in the night that is sometimes seen in cockatiels and some other companion birds.
Nocturnal - Used to describe birds that are active at night.
[O] - Bird Glossary Terms
Occiput - Area posterior to the crown (i.e. back of the head).
Oil Gland - A gland that secretes an oily substance such as the Uropygial Gland in birds.
Old World Birds - Species of birds that are native to Africa and Australasia. This includes Eclectus Parrots, African Greys, Poicephalus, Umbrella Cockatoos, Citron.
Omnivorous - Birds that eat anything that is considered digestible or edible.
Oology - The study of bird's eggs.
Open Band - A band that is squeezed shut around the bird's leg is indicative of an imported bird.
Operant Conditioning - Conditioning in which the desired behavior or increasingly closer approximations to it are followed by a rewarding or reinforcing stimulus (compare with CLASSICAL CONDITIONING).
Operculum - Literally it is a lid or flap covering an aperture. For birds, it is a swollen area of tissue that surrounds and caps each nostril in some species.
Opportunistic Breeders - Birds such as parrots that breed according to a yearly cycle or when there are favorable conditions (compare to Continuous Breeders).
Order - Taxonomic group above the level of family but below that of class Orders are composed of one or more families.
Ornithology - The science of birds.
Ornithosis - See Psittacosis or Parrot Fever.
Oropharynx - The part of the pharynx between the soft palate and the epiglottis.
Oscine - Also known as a songbird, any bird of the suborder Passeres (order Passeriformes), which includes all songbirds. A bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of Passeriformes (ca. 4000 species), in which the vocal organ is developed in such a way as to produce various sound notes, commonly known as bird song.
Ova - The female reproductive cell or gamete of animals or the egg.
Ovary - The usually paired female or hermaphroditic reproductive organ that produces ova. However parrots have only one ovary, usually on the left side.
Overgrown Beaks - Beak that is too long requiring trimming or filing.
Overgrown Talons - Talons that are too long requiring trimming.
Oviduct - A tube through which the ova pass. There are five segments to the oviduct. These are the Infundibulum, Magnum, Isthmus, Uterus, and Vagina. The oviduct ends in the Urodeum.
Ovipary - Related to eggs in which the embryo develops outside the body such as in birds.
Ovocentesis - Treatment for Egg Binding that involves inserting a needle into the egg and removing the egg's contents. This makes the egg smaller and easier to pass (also see Cloacal and Percutaneous Ovocentesis).
OWA - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Orange Winged Amazon.
[P] - Bird Glossary Terms
Pacheco's Disease Virus - This is a viral infection caused by the Herpes Virus.
Palmate - Completely webbed (3 toes connected).
Pamprodactyl - Foot structure in birds in which all toes point forward Parrots are not among these. Examples include emus and some woodpeckers.
Papillae - Protuberances in the mouth and on the tongue.
Papillomatosis Disease - (a.k.a. Papilloma Virus) An infectious, herpes-like virus that usually appears as a pink, proliferative, vascular wart-like or cauliflower-like growths of epithelium.
Parakeet Dander Pneumoconiosis - See Allergic Alveolitis.
Parasite - An organism that relies on another living thing for its survival but contributes nothing to the host organism.
Parrot - Any member of the Psittaciforme family of birds (also see Psittaciformes).
Parrot Fever - (a.k.a. Psittacosis) A curable infectious bacterial disease of birds marked by diarrhea and wasting. Also known as 'Psittacosis', 'chlamydiosis', and 'Ornithosis'. Infected birds can be cured with tetracycline or another broad-spectrum antibiotic. Psittacosis can be passed to humans where it results in flu- or pneumonia-like symptoms.
Passerines - A scientific classification that is made up of perching birds, and includes canaries, finches and backyard songbirds.
Passive immunity - Immunity due to immune cells or antibodies received by artificial injection or from the parent.
Patagium - The fold of skin that extends from the upper arm along the entire lower arm to the wrist.
Pathogenicity - The ability to cause disease.
Patterning - A process that involves learning through repetition.
PBFD - Abbreviation for Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease. An infectious virus that strikes mainly young parrots and kills the cells of the feather and beak. Infected birds grow deformed feathers and often succumb to secondary infections.
PC - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Painted Conure.
PCR - A 'biological copy machine'. A method for making many copies of a specific DNA base sequence.
PDD - See Proventricular Dilation Disease.
PDV - See Pacheco's Disease Virus.
Pellets - Dry bird food formulas that are bound by compression under moderate temperature.
Percutaneous Ovocentesis - Treatment for Egg Binding that involves inserting a needle through the skin into the egg and removing the egg's contents. This makes the egg smaller and easier to pass (also see Cloacal Ovocentesis).
Periophthalmic skin - The featherless skin area around some bird's eyes.
Peritoneal Membrane - Membrane lining the peritoneal (abdominal) cavity.
Peritonitis - Inflammation of the peritoneum (tissue that lines the abdominal wall and covers most of the organs in the abdomen). Peritonitis can result from infection, injury, or certain diseases.
Phaeomelanin - One of the two kinds of melanin pigment of feathers. This form of melanin imparts red, light brown and yellow to the skin or feathers.
Phalanges - The toes (singular Phalanx).
Phalanx - A toe (plural Phalanges).
Phaneric Coloration - The coloration of a bird that makes it conspicuous.
Phenotype - The observable traits or characteristics of a bird, for example color, weight, or the presence or absence of a disease. Phenotypic traits are not necessarily genetic.
Photoperiodism - When the length of the day triggers the seasonal responses of animals.
Pied - A bird showing abnormal areas of light plumage, mixed with normal dark coloration.
Pigeon Lung Disease - See Allergic Alveolitis.
Pileum - Top of the bird's head including forehead, crown and back of head.
Pinfeather - A growing feather still enclosed in its horny sheath, especially one just emerging through the skin.
Pinioning - A method of rendering a bird flightless. This is usually accomplished by clipping the outer Primary Feathers.
Pinions - The outer Primary feathers of the wing.
Pinning - (a.k.a. Flashing) Commonly used to describe the rapid alternate shrinking and dilation of a parrot's pupils when it sees something highly interesting.
Pip - To break through (the shell) in hatching.
Piscivorous - Fish-eating birds.
Plainhead - A bird without a crest, in cases where crests normally occur.
Plumaceous - The downy portion at the base of some feathers.
Pneumatisation of Bone - Hollow bones that contain air sacs lined with Epithelium.
Poikilothermic - This refers to chicks that cannot maintain their body temperature after hatching. Generally it refers to any organism, such as a fish or reptile, having a body temperature that varies with the temperature of its surroundings.
Pollex - The 'thumb' on the bird's wing. It is sometimes called the 'spurious wing'. It is also sometimes called the 'first digit' since because it is thought to be a vestige of the digits of a front foot.
Polyomavirus Disease - See Avian Polyoma Virus.
Polyuria - Excessive urination.
Positive Punishment - When the trainer adds ('add'='positive') something in order to make the animal stop doing a behavior. In training jargon, it is an attempt to decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring in the future by the presentation of an aversive stimulus.
Positive Reinforcement - A reinforcer that the subject wants, such as food, petting, or praise.
Posterior Thoracic Sac - Two air sacs located in the thoracic region.
Posterior Sac - Air sacs group made up from posterior thoracics and abdominal air sacs.
Postpatagium - The membrane of skin formed in the 'V' of the humerus and the radius/ulna bones on the forward edge of the wing.
Powder Down - Specially modified down feathers that grow continually during a bird's life, the outer edge disintegrates into a fine talc-like powder.
Precision Teaching - A scientific system of strategies and their tactics for the monitoring of learning and for making data-based decisions about instruction, using the Standard Celeration Chart to chart frequencies and celerations.
Precocial - Birds born with fluffy down, open eyes, and the ability to run and forage for food. Chickens are Precocial.
Preen Gland - Oily gland at the base of the tail that a bird 'dips into' during preening to oil its feathers.
Preening - The process by which a bird cleans, arranges, and cares for its feathers, usually by using its bill to adjust and smooth feathers.
Prehensile - To have one or more appendages, such as a hand, claw, or tail, that is designed for grasping or holding objects.
Premaxilla - The bone in the upper beak.
Primaries - (a.k.a. Primary Feathers) The 9-10 or more outermost flight feathers, attached to the 'hand'.
Primary Coverts - Contour feathers that cover the base of the Primary feathers.
Primary Reinforcer - Often a reinforcer that directly affects survival; e.g. food, water, or sex. In training terms, this is anything the animal likes (without having to learn to like) and will work to earn such as food, tug-of-war, or petting.
Probiotic - A non-pathogenic bacterium fed to animals, including birds, as a way to prevent colonization by pathogenic bacteria.
Proctodeum - The last part of the Cloaca just inside the vent. This is an inward fold on the surface of the embryonic ectoderm that develops into part of the anal passage. This compartment contains the avian phallus, if one is present.
Prokinetic Maxilla - A movable upper beak independent of the skull.
Prolapsed Cloaca - The pushing or extension of the cloacal tissue out of the vent.
Propatagium - The triangular fold of skin on the leading edge of the wing. This is where the bird is often tattooed after its sex is determined. If it is a male the Propatagium of the right wing is tattooed and if it is a female the Propatagium of the left wing is tattooed.
Protodeum - This is the exterior opening of the cloaca, or the anal vent.
Proventricular Dilation Disease - (a.k.a. PDD) A virus that progressively destroys the nerve supply to the proventriculu.
Proventricular Hypertrophy - See Proventricular Dilation Disease.
Proventriculitis - This is an enlargement in the digestive canal between the crop and the gizzard. You may think of it as another stomach and it is sometimes called the 'fore stomach'.
Proventriculus - The glandular first portion of the stomach of birds, in which food from the crop is mixed with peptic enzymes and passed to the gizzard.
Psilopaedic - Having down upon the Pteryl[ae] only; -- said of the young of certain birds (compare to ptilopaedic).
Psittaci - The order of birds which comprises the parrots.
Psittaciformes - An order of birds including parrots, amazons, cockatoos, lorikeets, lories, macaws and parakeets.
Psittacine - Of or relating to parrots.
Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease - (a.k.a. PBFD) A curable infectious bacterial disease of birds marked by diarrhea and wasting. Also known as 'Psittacosis', 'chlamydiosis', and 'Ornithosis'. Infected birds can be cured with tetracycline or another broad-spectrum antibiotic. Psittacosis can be passed to humans where it results in flu- or pneumonia-like symptoms.
Psittacofulvins - The set of pigments that impart yellow, orange and red to the feathers of parrots. Unlike, Carotenoid pigments in the feathers of many bird species, Psittacofulvins appear to be synthesized by the parrot.
Psittacosis - (a.k.a. Parrot Fever) A curable infectious bacterial disease of birds marked by diarrhea and wasting. Also known as 'parrot fever', 'chlamydiosis', and 'Ornithosis'. Infected birds can be cured with tetracycline or another broad-spectrum antibiotic. Psittacosis can be passed to humans where it results in flu- or pneumonia-like symptoms.
Psittacosis Antigen Test - A laboratory test that is designed to detect the presence of antigens for the Psittacosis Virus.
Psittaculture - A term that encompasses all aspects of the keeping of parrots.
Pteryla - (singular of Pterylae) These are well-defined symmetric tracts containing the contour feathers. Birds have seven such tracts of feathers.
Pterylosis - The pattern of feather distribution.
PTFE - Polytetrafluoroethylene. This material is used to coat non-stick pans and other items subject to high heat. It is sold under several brand names including Teflon, Hostaplon, and CuFlon. If PTFE is overheated, it releases toxic fluorine containing gases that can kill birds.
Ptilopaedic - Having nearly the whole surface of the skin covered with down; Dasyp[ae]dic; -- said of the young of certain birds. (compare to Psilopaedic).
Pubic Symphysis - The bones of the pelvic girdle that have fused to form a large single bony structure.
Pubis - Bone in the pelvis region.
Pullus - Term for a young bird that is not mature enough to fly.
Punishment - Is a consequence that follows an operant response that decreases (or attempts to decrease) the likelihood of that response occurring in the future.
PVD - See Avian Polyoma Virus.
Pygostyle - This is the last bone in the bird's spinal column. It is the result of the fusion of the last few vertebrae.
[Q] - Bird Glossary Terms
Quarantine - A period of isolation required for new or imported birds.
Quill - The portion of the feather shaft that is near the skin or inserted into the skin.
[R] - Bird Glossary Terms
Rachis - (a.k.a. Rhachis) The feather shaft, particularly that part to which the Vexillum is attached.
Radius - The inner bone of the forearm.
Ramus - The central shaft of feather Barbule. The Ramus is attached to the Rachis and the dozens of small Barbicels are attached to the Barbule.
Raptorial - Feet with long, strong toes and long, sharp, curved claws.
Ratite Sternum - The sternum of flightless birds such as the ostrich.
RB2 - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Rose Breasted Cockatoo.
Rectricies - (plural for Rectrix) The long flight feathers of the tail. Parrots have 12 rectricies.
Rectrix - (singular for Rectricies) A tail feather.
Red Mites - A parasite, Red Mites can be found on the skin or feathers usually at night. The head and vent are usually the infested regions.
Reflective Interference - This is what usually imparts the blue color of the feather. In combination with Melanin and Lutin it produces green and other shades. It is also what gives the feathers their iridescence. This coloration is produced by the same phenomenon that gives color to a film of oil on a water surface.
Regurgitation - Food already swallowed is ejected from the mouth.
Rehabilitation Organization - An organization that operates a place of refuge where abused, neglected, unwanted, impounded, abandoned, orphaned, or displaced exotic animals receive care until they can be adopted out or released back to their natural habitat.
Reinforcer - Anything that, occurring in conjunction with an act, tends to increase the probability that the act will occur again.
Remex - (singular of Remiges) A large flight feather (Primary or Secondary).
Remiges - The flight feathers on the wing. These include both the Primaries and Secondaries.
Rescue Organization - An organization that takes abused, neglected, unwanted, impounded, abandoned, orphaned, or displaced exotic animals and attempts to find new, caring homes for them.
Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism - (a.k.a. RFLP) A method used for sex determination. This method is based on the size of the genomic DNA fragment left after cleavage with an enzyme called a restriction enzyme that only cuts DNA within a specific sequence of nucleotides.
Rhamphotheca - The horny covering of the bill of birds.
Rhinolith - A calculus present in the nasal cavity. For birds, a mass of dried material that develops in the bird's nasal passage that may affect the bird's breathing.
Rhinorrhea - A discharge from the nasal mucous membrane, especially if excessive Rhinotheca.
Rictus - The expanse of an open mouth, a bird's beak, or similar structure.
RLA - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Red Lored Amazon.
RM - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Ruby Macaw.
Roost - This is a place where birds sleep.
Roundworm - Unsegmented worms with elongated rounded body and pointed at both ends. Includes both free-living and RS.
RV2 - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Red Vented Cockatoo.
[S] - Bird Glossary Terms
Salmonellosis - This is a bacterial disease that has zoonotic potential.
Sanctuary - An organization that operates a place of refuge where abused, neglected, unwanted, impounded, abandoned, orphaned, or displaced exotic animals receive care for their lifetime or until they can be released back to their natural habitat.
Scales - (a.k.a. Scutes) The overlapping plaque-like sheets of horny Epithelium that covers the Crus and feet.
Scaly face - Inflammation and rough, scaly growths caused by a parasitical mite that burrows under the skin around the beak, eyes, and occasionally on the legs and toes.
Scansorial Bird - Adapted to or specialized for climbing.
Scapula - The bone that connects the humerus (arm bone) with the clavicle (collar bone).
Scapulars - The group of feathers arising from the shoulder and proximal part of the upper arm.
Schizorhinal Nares - Term applied to nostrils in the shape of slits (compare to Holorhinal Nares).
Scutes - (a.k.a. Scales) The overlapping plaque-like sheets of horny Epithelium that covers the Crus and feet bare.
Secondary Coverts - Contour feathers that cover the base of the Secondary feathers.
Secondary Feathers - (a.k.a. Secondaries or Secondary Remiges) The inner set of flight feathers on the wing between the body and the bend in the wing (forearm or ulna area). Parrots have between 8 and 14 Remiges.
Secum - Generally, any saclike cavity with only one opening. The large blind pouch forming the beginning of the large intestine. Also called blind gut.
Self-mutilation - The gouging of skin, most often on the upper chest in Cockatoos.
Self-rewarding Behavior - An activity that is enacted solely for the pleasure of doing it.
Sentinel Birds - Birds within a flock who stand guard while other birds forage.
Serological Assays - Serums (often blood serums) are used to measure a bird's antibody levels to help identify the historical presence of an ailment.
Serum Chemistry Panel - A set of tests that evaluate the level of chemical components (e.g., glucose, albumin, enzymes, electrolytes) in the serum (i.e. the portion of blood without cells).
Sevoflurane - Used to cause general anesthesia (loss of consciousness) in birds during surgery.
Shaping - (a.k.a. Successive Approximation) In training this consists of taking a very small tendency in the right direction and shifting it, one small step at a time, toward an ultimate goal.
SID - Used in prescribing medications it means once a day. Literally Latin for semel in die.
SIE - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Solomon Island Eclectus.
Skinner B.F. - An American psychologist who was the leading exponent of the school of psychology known as behaviorism, which explains the behavior of humans and other animals in terms of the physiological responses of the organism to external stimuli. Like other behaviorists, he rejected unobservable phenomena of the sort that other forms of psychology, particularly psychoanalysis, had studied, concerning himself only with patterns of responses to rewards and stimuli. Skinner maintained that learning occurred as a result of the organism responding to, or operating on, its environment, and coined the term operant conditioning to describe this phenomenon.
Skritch - The way one scratches or pets a parrot. This often involves a deep, yet gentle, circular ruffling of the feathers to get to the skin.
Sleeping Tent - A fabric ten like product that hangs in the bird's cage which provides privacy and a sleeping area.
Sleeping Tube. - A tube like fabric product that hangs in the bird's cage which provides privacy and a sleeping area.
SM - Abbreviation (often found on the Internet) for Scarlet Macaw.
Softbills - A family of birds that includes lories, mynah birds and toucans. The name refers to their diet and has nothing to do with their beak which is hard.
Songbird - Also known as a Oscine, See Oscine above
Species - This is a group of biological beings that are similar to each other and capable of breeding with one another. A species is a subdivision of a genus.
Spray millet - Branch of a small-seeded grass often sold as a bird treat.
Sprouting Seeds - When viable seeds absorb water, a chemical reaction takes place that cause the seeds to sprout. As the seeds swell, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements are released. This is a source of nutrition for birds.
Step-Up - The practice of giving the step-up command with the expectation that the bird will perform the behavior and step up onto something such as a hand, finger, or perch.
Stereotypy - The repetition of movements over and over again in a compulsive manner.
Sternum - The keel shaped bone in the bird's trunk. In flying birds, such as parrots, it is a bony keel-like structure and is called a Carina.
Stimuli - Anything that causes some kind of behavioral response.
Stress Lines - These are off colored lines across the width of a bird's feathers. Stress lines are an indication that the bird was under some kind of stress when the feather was formed.