nuptial plumage

noun

variants or less commonly nuptial dress
: the specialized plumage assumed by the males of many birds while the gonads are enlarging prior to the start of the annual breeding period and characterized by greater brilliance of color and form than that of the nonbreeding males

called also breeding plumage

compare eclipse plumage

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Cite this Entry

“Nuptial plumage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuptial%20plumage. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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