FEATHERS Field Guide
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1 2 3 4 outer tail feathers primaries central tail feathers secondaries CENTRAL FEATHER: OUTER FEATHER: Unique Tail Feathers: SECONDARY FEATHER: PRIMARY FEATHER: 5 6 7 ~ ~ ~ ~ wide + straight rounded + brown pointy big + curved long + + patchy rectangular short + banded blue tiny fluffy + + + small spotted soft speckled + narrow vane (made up of barbs) SUPER CLOSE-UP hooks barbs (holds barbules (tiny zippers) t together) f a h s barbs in om zo barbules (tiny barbs with hooks) KERATIN Feathers are made after feathers up of a protein called keratin. Just ( soft for warmth) like our fingernails hollow shaft and hair!!! (hard an d light) primaries WING FEATHERS: made to create secondaries lift and thrust *Flight feathers have no after feathers* narrow, pointed tips blunt, square tips PRIMARY FEATHER: made to generate SECONDARY FEATHER: thrust made to generate lift - leaf-shaped - paddle-shaped long, asymmetrical vane shorter and broader vane slightly curved shaft very long, straight shaft outer tail feathers TAIL FEATHERS: made to brake, steer, and balance central tail feathers *Flight feathers have no after feathers* CENTRAL FEATHER: OUTER FEATHER: Unique Tail Feathers: colorful, display for straight shaft curved shaft attracting mates - paddle-shaped - - wide vane - - very stiff - sturdy, triangular tip (helps woodpeckers symmetrical vane asymmetrical vane stand on trees layered like a roof small, fluffy vane - ~~ all afterfeather - curv ed and no hooks - points to tail loose barbs - underneath contour feathers - - rounded tips - small, symmetrical vane - half soft after feathers Down keeps - short, flexible shaft baby birds warm. Body feathers also create the shape of a birds body ~~ Make comparisions to help ID birds! Other colors are created Red and yellow are created when light REFLECTs off by chemicals in the feather the feather a certain way. called pigments. Birds get Iridescent and blue red and yellow pigments feathers are produced this thei diet! way! YELLOW comes from eating SEEDS! BLUE comes from a trick of the light! RED comes from eating BERRIES! - underneath tail - produces oil PREEN GLAND This oil is spread evenly in bird feathers to keep them flexible and - spreading oil neat. - zipping up barbs shakes feathers around DUST BATH: Dust removes excess oil and insects. Birds will preen each other as rolls in dust a sign of friendship. digs a little dirt hole.