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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.

Secondaries Flight feathers along the "forearm" that form the inner trailing edge of the wing.

Primaries The outermost flight feathers of the wing, attached to the "hand"; they provide most of the forward thrust.

Nape The back of the neck.

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

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

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