Types of feathers
Feathers come in a variety of colors and forms, but they are all composed of the protein beta-keratin, just like snake scales.
Feathers' barbs and barbules --- smaller hooked pieces that come off of the barbs --- make up different feather structures that serve different functions.
Wing
Wing feathers are specialized for flight. On one side of the main shaft, there is a flat, windproof surface created by interlocking microstructures.
Tail
Tail feathers also have interlocking microstructures. These feathers are typically arranged in a fan shape to help with steering precision in flight.
Contour
A bird's body is covered in contour feathers that overlap like shingles. They have flat, waterproof tips and fluffy bases.
Semiplume
Fluffy feathers that are hidden beneath contour feathers are called semiplumes.
Down
Down feathers are fluffy, with loosely arranged barbs coming off of the main branch. These feathers help to trap air close to the body to keep a bird warm.
Swan chicks covered in down
Filoplume
These feathers have almost no barbs and are mainly just a shaft with a few barbs on the tip. These are used like mammal whiskers to sense the position of the contour feathers.
Bristle
Bristle feathers are mostly shaft as well but have some barbs near the base. They are usually found on the head, protecting the eyes and face.
Birds have hollow bones
In the spring and fall, the vast majority of birds take to the air. In the spring, they head north to their breeding grounds, and in the fall, they head south to overwintering areas that are warmer and have ample food supplies. Migration can be a long and hard journey, and the bigger the bird, Read More »
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Birds change feathers like people change clothes
You may have noticed that as the seasons change, birds begin to look different. What was a bright eastern goldfinch in the spring becomes a duller hue in the winter. A duck that had vibrant breeding feathers earlier in the year now looks a little drab. That is because birds molt. Their feathers wear out Read More »
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Iowa winter birds
Pine siskins, purple finches, dark-eyed juncos, American tree sparrows — these Iowa winter birds are really only just a few of the birds that make winter a bit more fun in this cold state. 1. Red-breasted nuthatch Red-breasted nuthatches live year-round in many parts of the western United States and Canada, but they spent winter, Read More »
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Make your own backyard birding binoculars
Birding is such a popular hobby because everyone can do it. Whether you are backyard birding, taking a hike or even boating, you can always catalogue the birds that you see. The he Dickinson County Nature Center features nests of some of the most common birds you might see right outside your window. (Grackles, blackbirds Read More »
Read MoreWill the mama bird take her baby back if you touch it?
We are planning on redoing our landscaping, and a volunteer bush on the corner of the house needs to come out. However, my husband Snapchatted a picture to me of a robin, and she decided to make her nest right in the bush. Needless to say, that bush will not be going anywhere for the Read More »
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