This article is written in British English, which has its own spelling conventions (colour, travelled, centre, defence, artefact, analyse) and some terms that are used in it may be different or absent from other varieties of English. According to the relevant style guide, this should not be changed without broad consensus.

This article is rated B-class on Wikipedia's content assessment scale. It is of interest to the following WikiProjects:

Birds High‑importance Plumage is part of WikiProject Birds, an attempt at creating a standardized, informative and easy-to-use ornithological resource. If you would like to participate, visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks. Please do not substitute this template.BirdsWikipedia:WikiProject BirdsTemplate:WikiProject Birdsbird High This article has been rated as High-importance on the project's importance scale. WikiProject Birds To-do: edit history watch purge Here are some tasks awaiting attention: Article requests : Endemic birds of Papua New Guinea (more) Cleanup : Bullfinch • Vesper sparrow • Bird flight • Bird bath (more) Copyedit : Plushcap • Magpie duck • Saker falcon (more) Expand : Phalarope • Nidicolous • Gouldian finch • Cathartes • Cnemophilidae • Avian malaria (more) NPOV : Debeaking • Driven grouse shooting • Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (more) Stubs : Cathartiformes • Semiplumbeous hawk • Rainbow-bearded Thornbill • Sunda scops owl (more) Update : Coal tit • Scottish crossbill • New Caledonian lorikeet • Operation Migration (more) Verify : Argus (bird) • Blyth's frogmouth • Nik Borrow • Pytilia • Fregata • Chestnut-headed tesia • Darter • Pallid scops owl • Starling (more) Wikify : Ninox boobook ocellata • The Institute for Bird Populations (more) Other : Add photos to bird articles needing photos (search Flickr for free images). Add taxonomic authorities to genus articles. More outstanding tasks at the project's cleanup listing, Category:Birds articles needing attention, and Wikipedia:WikiProject Birds/Todo. Animal anatomy Mid‑importance This article is part of WikiProject Animal anatomy, an attempt to organise a detailed guide to all topics related to animal anatomy apart from human anatomy. To participate, you can edit the attached article, or contribute further at WikiProject Animal anatomy. This project is an offshoot of WikiProject AnimalsAnimal anatomyWikipedia:WikiProject Animal anatomyTemplate:WikiProject Animal anatomyAnimal anatomy Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale.

? 71.198.34.87 (talk) 18:15, 11 October 2009 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"2009-10-11T18:15:00.000Z","author":"71.198.34.87","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-71.198.34.87-2009-10-11T18:15:00.000Z-How_is_\"eclipse_plumage\"_different_from_\"non-breeding_plumage\"","replies":["c-Maias-2009-10-12T03:39:00.000Z-71.198.34.87-2009-10-11T18:15:00.000Z"]}}-->

I think they mean pretty much the same thing. Maias (talk) 03:39, 12 October 2009 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"2009-10-12T03:39:00.000Z","author":"Maias","type":"comment","level":2,"id":"c-Maias-2009-10-12T03:39:00.000Z-71.198.34.87-2009-10-11T18:15:00.000Z","replies":[]}}-->

The section on albinism needs a bit of work - its full of contradictions due to a misunderstanding of what albinism is, and reliance on an outdated source. The opening part states that albinism "...involves loss of colour in all parts including the iris of the eyes, bills, skin, legs and feet. It is usually the result of a genetic mutation causing the absence of tyrosinase, an enzyme essential for melanin synthesis." This is factually correct. Good so far.

But then in the rest of the section it contradicts this and states repeatedly that albinism sometimes does not affect all parts of the bird, which is factually incorrect. e.g. Its says albinism may be "partial", "imperfect" or "incomplete". While partial replacement of normal coloration with white feathers is often noted, in those cases it is NOT albinism. ie. it is not a genetic fault resulting in the absence of tyrosinase, which would cause complete loss of color due to the inability to produce pigment, but instead it is a fault in the tyrosinase pathways or expression of pigment, which means that although pigment can clearly be manufactured in a bird's tissues (because tyrosinase IS present) it is not being produced normally or at all in some tissues, or is not being distributed to target structures. I note that the reference given is JK Terres' paper from 1980 - outdated and, even at the time, incorrect. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.46.251.127 (talk) 10:50, 21 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"2012-06-21T10:50:00.000Z","author":"194.46.251.127","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-194.46.251.127-2012-06-21T10:50:00.000Z-Albinism","replies":["c-Pigsonthewing-20240630115600-194.46.251.127-2012-06-21T10:50:00.000Z"]}}-->

Surely albinism is the absence, not loss, of colour? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 11:56, 30 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"20240630115600","author":"Pigsonthewing","type":"comment","level":2,"id":"c-Pigsonthewing-20240630115600-194.46.251.127-2012-06-21T10:50:00.000Z","replies":[],"displayName":"Andy Mabbett"}}-->

It seems to be worthy to mention "Hen feathering in cocks" as another abnormality in the plumage. I inserted this topic as a third level headline within "Abnormal plumages" Section, --Cacucho (talk) 00:46, 1 October 2012 (UTC).[reply]__DTELLIPSISBUTTON__{"threadItem":{"timestamp":"2012-10-01T00:46:00.000Z","author":"Cacucho","type":"comment","level":1,"id":"c-Cacucho-2012-10-01T00:46:00.000Z-Another_abnormality","replies":[]}}-->