This organ produces oil that birds spread over their feathers.
What is a preen gland?
The meaning of plumage.
What are feathers?
When a flock of smaller birds harasses a larger bird .
What is mobbing?
This special section of a bird's stomach grinds food to make it more easily absorbed.
What is a gizzard?
A bird's bill is made out of this substance.
What is keratin?
The part of the feather that comes off the shaft.
What is the barb?
The strong feathers found on a bird's body wings and tail.
What are contour feathers?
This is the act of keeping eggs warm for proper chick development.
What is incubation?
The food storage sac in a bird's esophagus.
What is the crop?
The type of vision in most birds of prey.
What is binocular?
A bird's most important flight muscles.
What are pectorals?
The soft fluffy feathers found nearest to bird's body.
What are down feathers?
A bird “bathing” himself in the dirt.
What is dusting?
This structure on a bird’s sternum provides an attachment for the flight and muscles.
What is a keel?
This type of vision allows most birds to detect danger from all sides.
What is monocular?
The part of the feather that comes off the barb which may have hooks or flanges.
What is the barbule?
this is located in the middle of the feather.
What is the shaft?
Birds do this when replacing their old broken feathers with new ones.
What is molting?
Most members of this group do not have a keel.
What are flightless birds?
This type of bill has hinged jaws that allow the bill to be opened widely.
What is gaping?
The retractable group of feathers supported by a bird’s “thumb” bone.
What is the alula?
This is the flat part of a feather.
What is the vane?
This enables birds to know what kind of nest to build.
What is instinct?
The organ that allows birds to brew sound without vocal cords.
What is the syrinx?
Sandpipers and whimbrels have these types of bills for retrieving crustaceans burrowed in the sand.
What are probing bills?