The bird feather is a beautiful yet functional part of a bird's anatomy. Here's everything you need to know about a bird feather.
What is a bird feather for?
A bird feather is make out of keratin, which is the same protein that's used to produce hair in other animals. Every bird feather has different features, but they all work to protect the bird and cover its wing and body.
The number of bird feathers on a bird depend on the bird and the climate that they occupy. A bird feather on one bird may not be as long, as colorful or as thickly placed on one bird as it is on another.
A bird feather is used for things other than flying. A bird feather is used for insulation and also protects the bird from harmful UV rays, acting like a sort-of built in sunscreen.
The color of a bird feather is also important. Color plays a big part in attraction. Birds have great eyesight and bright colors catch their eyes. Birds use their color to attract other birds, which they need to find as mating partners. The color on a bird feather is determined by the pigments that are present in the keratin.
There is more than one kind of bird feather
A bird feather has many different types and compositions to keep the bird warm, in flight and attractive. To start with, a bird has down feathers, which are smaller feathers that are soft and fluffy. These feathers act as insulation against the elements, keeping birds alive and warm during the summer months and wet seasons. Without this type of bird feather, birds could not survive. Down feathers are so useful that humans have been collecting them for years and stuffing them in pillows, jackets and comforters to kept themselves warm.
Bird have four other kinds of feathers, though we won't get into each individual birds feather. Birds have bristles, filoplumes, semiplumes and powder feathers.
A powder feather is interesting because it's meant to be a disposable feather. A powder feather is a feather that acts as a dust mop. A powder feather continually grows from the animal, but then disintegrates allowing the barbs to break down because they're meant to be shed. These feathers are on the front of a bird and are used to catch food and other junk that collects on the front of the bird. They keep the bird clean and when just when the bird is feeling dirty, they fall off and new ones take over. The purpose of this bird feather is to keep a bird's plumage clean.
