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Basic Plumage

By Laura Klappenbach, About.com

Definition: n. If a bird species only molts once a year, their basic plummge is the set of feathers they have throughout the year. If a bird species experiences two molts per year, the basic plumage is (in most cases) the plumage grown after a complete molt and is present during the bird's nonbreeding season. (Source: Sibley)

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