A quiz on bird wing feathers

August 1, 2022 / By / 6 Comments

The major groups of feathers on the wing are showing well on this American Robin, and each is labeled with a letter. In the quiz below, select the letter that matches the feather group named in that question.

Bird Topography: Wings 1

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Your answers are highlighted below.
Question 1
Median Coverts
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
F
F
Question 2
Greater Coverts (Greater secondary coverts)
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
F
F
Question 3
Primary coverts
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
F
F
G
G
Question 4
Tertials
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
F
F
G
G
Question 5
Primaries
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
F
F
G
G
Question 6
Scapulars
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
Question 7
Secondaries
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
F
F
G
G
Once you are finished, click the button below. Any items you have not completed will be marked incorrect. Get Results
There are 7 questions to complete.

6 thoughts on “A quiz on bird wing feathers”

  3. Greg

    Where does the name “median coverts” come from. What are they midway between? If i could figure that out, they would be easier to remember.

    Reply
    1. David Sibley

      Good question. They’re median between the greater coverts and the lesser coverts. In songbirds the lesser coverts are very small feathers at the leading edge of the wing, usually hidden by other feathers when the wings are folded. The red feathers on a Red-winged Blackbird are lesser coverts. One good clue is that when a bird shows two wingbars, like this grosbeak, those wingbars are always formed by pale tips on the greater and median coverts.

      Reply
  5. Bea Weaver

    David, the idea of these quizzes is great! However your computer guru needs to figure out how we can see the choices and the bird. We also need to see the correct answers applied to the bird when we finish. The constant scrolling is distracting and time consuming. Please make the quizzes user/learner friendly.

    Reply

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