Vleugellam

Vleugellam is a Dutch adjective describing a winged animal whose wing function is impaired, resulting in limited or absent flight. The term is used in everyday language as well as in veterinary and wildlife-rehabilitation contexts to indicate an injury or condition affecting one or more wings. While it most often refers to birds, it can also describe other animals with reduced wing mobility or strength that prevents normal flight.

Etymology: The word is formed from vleugel meaning “wing” and lam meaning “lame.” It mirrors the literal sense of a wing being unable to function properly.

Usage: Vleugellam is descriptive rather than a formal clinical diagnosis. It conveys the functional state—an animal’s inability to fly or to maneuver fully—without specifying the underlying cause, such as a fracture, nerve damage, or muscle injury. The term is common in wildlife rehabilitation notes, field guides, and veterinary records, and can be used metaphorically to indicate a temporary constraint on capacity.

Related terms: vleugellamheid (wing-lameness), vliegvermogen (flying ability), wing injury.

See also: Bird injury, Lameness in birds, Wing fracture.

Note: In English, closest equivalents are “wing-lamed,” “wing-injured,” or “unable to fly due to a wing injury.” The Dutch term remains primarily a descriptive label used in Dutch-language sources.