Quiz 37: Bird topography

Concord, MA. 29 Apr 2009. Copyright David Sibley.

Test your knowledge of bird feather topography with the questions below.

Bird Topography - upperparts and wings



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Question 1The species is:American GoldfinchBaltimore OrioleYellow-bellied FlycatcherYellow WarblerQuestion 2The feather labeled A are the:ScapularsMantleGreater CovertsSecondariesQuestion 2 Explanation:The scapulars grow from the shoulder and cover the base of the wing from front to back. These could be confused with the lesser coverts (so I did not include that as an option here) but the yellow feathers indicated by the arrow look relatively long, arching down from the shoulder like scapulars, rather than the short flat contours of the lesser coverts.Question 3The feathers labeled B are the:Greater CovertsMantleNapeScapularsQuestion 3 Explanation:The mantle feathers grow from the center of the back, between the scapulars. On this bird the mantle is still all non-breeding plumage - faded pale gray-brown - while the nape and scapulars have molted to yellow breeding plumage.Question 4The feathers labeled C are the:ScapularsGreater CovertsMedian CovertsSecondariesQuestion 4 Explanation:On songbirds the greater secondary coverts always form a more or less rectangular panel just forward of the middle of the wing. On this bird they are mostly black, with contrasting white tips that form a wingbar.Question 5The feathers labeled D are the:ScapularsSecondariesGreater CovertsPrimariesQuestion 5 Explanation:The secondaries are the large wing feathers on the "arm" or inner part of the wing. Here they are mostly black, with white edges towards their tips that form a pale panel there and leave a solid black patch at the base of the secondaries, indicated by the arrow.
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