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 plumageDictionary Entries Near nuptial plumage
Cite this Entry
“Nuptial plumage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuptial%20plumage. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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