The act of oiling refers pretty much to what it sounds like. It is the application of oil to the wings and feathers during preening or through water contact.



The act of bill sweeping is often associated with nesting. Both parents will sweep their bills over the nest as part of a feeding ritual for chicks. The bills usually contain food for the chicks.

Anting is a bizarre bird ritual. Many species will allow ants to crawl through their wings. The ants effectively preen the wings as they eat and store anything they find.

Birds are often cleaning themselves. This act is referred to as preening. Each species handles it differently, but a common characteristic is the use of the beak to clean wings and such. Not to be confused with anting.

The brood is somewhat of a catch all term meaning either the young birds hatched from a clutch of eggs or the act of incubating eggs in the nest. It can also refer as a verb to the act of keeping chick warm.

Photoperiodism refers to the reaction of birds as well as other animals and plants to the changing amounts of sunlight in a day during the year. Breeding periods and migration are believed to be triggered by it.

Bird designated as dabblers are ones that sit on the water and tip down to eat food, whether plants or animals, below the surface. Ducks are classic dabblers.

Shearing is a flight specific activity to certain birds. It is the graceful act of dipping the edge of one wing into water and then slowly rotating to dipping the other tip while flying across the water.

When it comes to birds, their display is all about communication. The display involves positioning their body in such a way to convey meanings regarding territoriality, mating and such.

A diurnal species refers to a bird that feeds and is active primarily during the day, the opposite of how most birds customarily act.

Nalospi is a measurement that helps in the classification of sighted birds. The Nalospi is the distance between the tip of the bill and the forward edge of the nostril. It is not always easy to see and calculate.

Twitchers do not refer to birds, but those of us that watch them. If you get head over heals about it, you can get very excited and even nervous about a new sighting. This is known as twitching and you are a twitcher!

The act of gleaning refers to birds that pick their food off of upright structures such as trees. Some do it while hovering, but many may just land on the structure and whip their head back and forth to find food.

The important thing to understand about birding is the language is important, but not critical. Gaining an appreciation of our feathered friends through observation is the key.