A featherless area of skin on a bird's body between the feathered regions.
From Greek 'a-' (without) and 'pteryx' (wing/feather), combining to mean 'without feathers.' The term emerged in ornithology in the 19th century to describe the bare patches visible between a bird's plumage tracts.
Birds have these naked patches between their feathers that help them control body temperature and move more flexibly—it's like they have built-in cooling zones!
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