A group of small quill feathers on the first digit of a bird's wing.
（鸟的）拇翼
Example sentencesExamples
The bastard wing of birds is a rudimentary digit; and I believe that if fossil birds are found very low down in the series, they will be seen to have a double or bifurcated wing.
About the size of a goldfinch, the bird sports a tuft of feathers technically known as an alula, or bastard wing, that would have helped it stay aloft at slow speeds.
The alula feather, also called the bastard wing, can be seen at the top center of the photo.
Both young green and night herons elevate the bastard wing at times as they climb about the trees, but I have never seen them attempt to use it for grasping.
At the same time, he made an anatomical study of bird wings, demonstrating that the bastard wing acts as a brake.
Definition of bastard wing in US English:
bastard wing
noun
A group of small quill feathers on the first digit of a bird's wing.
（鸟的）拇翼
Example sentencesExamples
The alula feather, also called the bastard wing, can be seen at the top center of the photo.
At the same time, he made an anatomical study of bird wings, demonstrating that the bastard wing acts as a brake.
The bastard wing of birds is a rudimentary digit; and I believe that if fossil birds are found very low down in the series, they will be seen to have a double or bifurcated wing.
Both young green and night herons elevate the bastard wing at times as they climb about the trees, but I have never seen them attempt to use it for grasping.
About the size of a goldfinch, the bird sports a tuft of feathers technically known as an alula, or bastard wing, that would have helped it stay aloft at slow speeds.