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Speculum feathers

Patch on inner bird wings

Patch on inner bird wings

Note

the patch found on some birds

The speculum is a patch, often distinctly coloured, on the secondary wing feathers, or remiges, of some birds.

Examples of the colour(s) of the speculum in a number of ducks are:

  • Common teal and green-winged teal: Iridescent green edged with buff.
  • Blue-winged teal: Iridescent green. The species' common name comes from the sky-blue wing coverts.
  • Crested duck and bronze-winged duck: Iridescent purple-bronze, edged white.
  • Pacific black duck: Iridescent green, edged light buff.
  • Mallard: Iridescent purple-blue with white edges.
  • American black duck: Iridescent violet bordered in black and may have a thin white trailing edge.
  • Northern pintail: Iridescent green in male and brown in female, both are white on trailing edge.
  • Gadwall: Both sexes have white inner secondaries.
  • Yellow-billed duck: Iridescent green or blue, bordered white.

Bright wing speculums are also known from a number of other birds; among them are several parrots from the genus Amazona with red or orange speculums, though in this case the colors are pigmentary and non-iridescent.

References

References

  1. (1983). "The Audubon Society Master Guide to Birding". National Geographic Society.
  2. Madge, Steve. (1988). "Waterfowl: an Identification Guide to the Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World". Houghton Mifflin.
  3. (2006). "National Geographic Guide to the Birds of North America". National Geographic Society.
  4. (1999). "Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania". Princeton University Press.
  5. (1989). "''Birds of Panama with Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras''". Princeton University Press.
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