Feather Identification: Complete Guide To Types Of Bird Feathers
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Feathers look beautiful and complex, and exploring them is very fun.
Size, color, shape, and patterns are essential in analyzing feathers. Each and every bird species has a unique type of feather, so we can study these feathers to understand more about different birds.
Feathers are incredible and complex structures. They are important for birds to fly, and they bend, turn and twist with the wind, yet they survive without being harmed!
A feather is mainly made up of three parts: a calamus (the bottom transparent part), a rachis (the part which bears the vane), and a vane (which is made up of barbs). Bird feathers can be found in the park or near your house.
They are exciting and make you feel closer to the wildlife around you.
Crow feathers can be identified by their shape, size, and color. When in doubt, feathers can also be searched online using tools like The Feather Atlas provided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service or apps such as Feather Gallery could be useful too.
Beware, it is illegal to take feathers of certain birds home with you in some countries! Otherwise, feel free to appreciate nature and take a quick photo.
Just like this curious subject, to learn about other fun facts, some more articles are waiting to be read by you! Go ahead and check out birds symbolism and the highest flying bird!
Types Of Bird Feathers
Many feathers can look the same to us, but looking for specific details and categories can help us narrow down our options. However, tracing the feather back to the bird can be a bit difficult.
You might need to study various aspects of a feather to understand and guess which bird might have flown above you!
Size, shape, and color can prove to be helpful when trying to analyze a feather. The feel and the texture of the feather can also be a little help when trying to distinguish between feathers.
Feathers can be mainly divided into six types depending on where they are located and how birds use them. The first one is flight feathers; these can be found on wings and the tail of the bird.
They are often long. Hence, they can also be called tail feathers or wing feathers. A wing feather has a bigger vane on one side and is small on the other side.
A tail feather has an equal length vane on both sides. This helps with the strength needed while flying.
The next type of feather is contour feathers. These give color and shape to the feather. They have colorful tips, and on the bottom part, give the bird some insulation.
Another type of feather is down feathers, which also help the bird with insulation by trapping the air in them. They are used in pillows and quills we use!
Filoplume are the type of feathers related to sensory receptors and are attached to nerve endings of the bird. This sends the brain signals regarding the motion of the bird. Bristle feathers are found near the mouth and eyes of the bird.
Semi-plume feathers are a cross between down feathers and contour feathers. They are not very soft like down feathers, but they provide the bird with insulation.
Feather Identification By Pattern
Various birds have very attractive plumage features. We can see that different birds have a different pattern of feathers. We will discuss some common patterns that we can search for on feathers.
The mottled plumage is a pattern where all feathers have multiple colors. They may have spots of colors on them too! Some owls have mottled plumage.
Such an owl usually has a light and dark pattern. which is often found on the upper part of its body. Then, we can search for a two-toned feather that has two distinct shades visible.
Barred feathers are another type where there is an alternate dark and light pattern throughout the feather. They are often found in breeding male birds.
Spotted feathers have one or more spots on each feather and are present in the bird's underparts. The spotted woodpecker has this type of black feather with white spots. Pale tip and dark tip are other types of feathers that can help you search the bird.
By looking at the feather shading, you can get an idea of the plumage the bird has. It is said that birds' plumage and their patterns help the bird to camouflage in their preferred surroundings. They are also used as a sign to signal breeding in the wild.
Feather Identification By Color
On a page of The Feather Atlas database of the American U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, you can find various colors and categories to choose from.
For example, you can choose the black and white feather identification color option to see birds that include those shades. Then you come to know where that part of plumage came from, like the tail or the wing.
Finding the exact bird might be difficult, but you can get a general idea of the species. You can also make use of free online services to identify feathers.
Plumages are often very colorful and pretty to look at. Sometimes they are a plain shade like red or brown.
Looking at the shade of the feather is one of the essential tools to guide you in identifying the source of that feather, but it can be a little tricky as different body parts of the wild species may have different colors.
The bird, the American robin, has white feathers on the lower body (on its tail feather tips) and has orange feathers on the underparts and tail feathers.
Some birds, like the Australian yellow parrot, are entirely yellow, or a dove has just one color. So you need to take into consideration which type of feather you have come to find, and if it is long or short.
Feather Identification By Size
The basic feather found on the body of the bird includes primary feathers. The primary feather is found on the wingtip and is very important to the bird for flying.
These feathers might also be long and narrow. Secondary feathers can be found on the wings as well. These secondary feathers are usually in the middle of the wing.
Tertiary feathers are found closest to the body of the bird. Depending on the length of the bird, the length of these feathers will also change.
Usually, wing feathers and the tail feather are large and long. Down feathers are usually small. Online tools can guide you if you look up the length of the feather.
Feathers can be divided into huge, being more than 10 in (25 cm); small, which is around 3 in (8 cm); large, having a length of 6-10 in (16-25 cm); and medium, with a length of 3-6 in (8-16 cm). This will help you in identification the kind of bird.
Don't forget that it is illegal to take bird feathers home with you. This is to protect northern migratory birds and their population. Feel free to look at them, admire their beauty, take a photo, but leave them where you found them.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for feather identification, then why not take a look at what do baby birds eat or cardinal bird facts?
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Master of Business Administration
Deepthi ReddyMaster of Business Administration
With an MBA under her belt, Deepthi has discovered her true calling in content writing. Her writing repertoire is diverse, covering travel, movies, pet care, parenting, animals and birds, and more. Her joy of learning and creating has helped her craft well-written and engaging articles. When she isn't writing, Deepthi enjoys exploring new cultures, trying different foods, and spending quality time with her two children aged 7 and 12.
Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR
Pradhanya RaoBachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR
With a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Christ University, Bangalore, Pradhanya's passion for the English language and literature led her to explore the field of content writing, where she has gained extensive experience in writing, reviewing, editing, and fact-checking. She has also earned certifications in Google Ads Search, Google Ads Display, and Social Media Marketing, showcasing her proficiency in digital marketing.
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