winter plumage
Cold-weather bird coat
Winter plumage is the feathers a bird wears during the colder months, typically duller than breeding plumage.
Many species molt twice yearly, donning brighter colors for mating season and subdued tones for winter: The goldfinch's winter plumage is olive-brown rather than brilliant yellow.
Also called nonbreeding plumage or basic plumage.
- moltShed outer covering
- feathersBird's lightweight covering
- eclipseCelestial body blocks another
- nonbreedingNot producing offspring
- color changeAlteration of hue
downy · drab · migration · waterfowl · ptarmigan · camouflage · seasonal · bird watching · white · gray · muted · duck · sea ducks · coloring · snowy · snowy owl · snow goose · arctic
- feathersfeather, feathers, down feathers, quill, flight feathers
- bird markingsbars, bands, barred, banded, spots
- bird plumage
- bird breedingegg, nest, hatch, chick, hatching
- bird featherstail feathers, flight feathers, down feathers, contour feathers
- birdingbirding, bird watching, birdwatcher, birder, binoculars
winter, plumage, winters, wintered, wintering, wintry, wintertime, plume, plumes