Skip to content

Destinations
Birds
Field Guides
Learn
Gear
- Gear guides
- Binocular selectorFive questions, one answer
Journal

Plan a trip

Search the site

Try a bird, a place or a month: "hornbill", "Costa Rica", "shorebirds".

Home
Glossary

Bird topography

Tarsus

The lower, usually bare, part of the leg above the toes.

Tarsus colour and length help identify shorebirds; it is also a standard measurement in ringing.

Bird topography

Related terms

Lores The area between the eye and the base of the bill.

Primary projection How far the primary tips extend beyond the tertials on a perched bird.

Malar stripe A dark stripe running from the base of the bill down the side of the throat.

Rump The lower back, just above the base of the tail.

Speculum A bright, often iridescent patch on the secondaries of many ducks.

Scapulars Feathers on the "shoulder" that cover the join between wing and body on a perched bird.

The Ornithology

The Ornithology is an independent guide for birders, guides and researchers: where to go, what you will see, and how birds live.

Explore

Destinations
Birds
Field guides
Gear

Learn

Bird Biology course
Glossary
Bird migration
Birding terminology

The Ornithology

Privacy Policy
Disclaimer
Contact

© 2026 The Ornithology. Photos are credited on each page. Taxonomy follows AviList.