Feathers

1
Feathers
2
Feather Structure

• ß-Keratin
• Vane
• Rachis
• Calamus / quill
• Inferior umbilicus

3
Feather Structure

• Barbs
• Barbules
• Barbicels
• Pennaceous vs. Plumulaceous
• Dorsal overlap barbules

4
Feather Types

• Flight Feathers
• Remiges
• Retrices
• Pennaceous

5
Feather Types

• Down Feathers
• Plumulaceous
• Rachis vs. Barbs

6
Feather Types

• Body Contour Feathers
• Plumulaceous Pennaceous
• Aftershaft

7
Feather Types

• Semiplumes
• Plumulaceous
• Barbs vs. Rachis

8
Feather Types

• Filoplumes
• Sensory
• Plumulaceous
• Barbless Rachis

9
Feather Types

• Bristles
• Specialized
• Plumulaceous
• Variety of uses

10
Remiges
11
Retrices
Dark-eyed Junco


Eastern Towhee
12
Feather Tracts

• Pterylae
• Muscular control
• Apteria
• Foot Head Tucking
• Display
• Penguins, Screamers, Mousebirds

13
Feather Tracts

• Pterylae
• Muscular control
• Apteria
• Foot Head Tucking
• Display
• Penguins, Screamers, Mousebirds

14
Feather Tracts

• Pterylae
• Muscular control
• Apteria
• Foot Head Tucking
• Display
• Penguins, Screamers, Mousebirds

15
Feather Care

• Uropygial Gland
• Preening
• Powder Down
• Dusting / bathing / anting

16
Molt

• Wear
• Parasites
• Different Plumage
• Specialized feathers

17
Molt

• Natal Down
• Ptilopaedic (passerines)
• Psilopaedic (raptors, waterfowl, gamebirds)

18
Molt
Second Year
Hatch Year
Summer
Fall
Spring
Fall
Molt
Juvenal molt
Pre-basic
Pre-alternate
Pre-basic
Resulting Plumage
Immature Plumage
Basic Plumage
Alternate Plumage
Basic Plumage
Feathers Molted
All feathers
Body Contours
Body Contours
All feathers
Natal Down
19
Molt
Second Year
Hatch Year
Summer
Fall
Spring
Fall
Molt
Juvenal molt
Pre-basic
Pre-alternate
Pre-basic
Resulting Plumage
Immature Plumage
Basic Plumage
Alternate Plumage
Basic Plumage
Feathers Molted
All feathers
Body Contours
Body Contours
All feathers
Juvenile Plumage
20
Molt
Second Year
Hatch Year
Summer
Fall
Spring
Fall
Molt
Juvenal molt
Pre-basic
Pre-alternate
Pre-basic
Resulting Plumage
Immature Plumage
Basic Plumage
Alternate Plumage
Basic Plumage
Feathers Molted
All feathers
Body Contours
Body Contours
All feathers
1st Basic Plumage
21
Molt
Second Year
Hatch Year
Summer
Fall
Spring
Fall
Molt
Juvenal molt
Pre-basic
Pre-alternate
Pre-basic
Resulting Plumage
Immature Plumage
Basic Plumage
Alternate Plumage
Basic Plumage
Feathers Molted
All feathers
Body Contours
Body Contours
All feathers
1st Alternate Plumage
22
Molt
Second Year
Hatch Year
Summer
Fall
Spring
Fall
Molt
Juvenal molt
Pre-basic
Pre-alternate
Pre-basic
Resulting Plumage
Immature Plumage
Basic Plumage
Alternate Plumage
Basic Plumage
Feathers Molted
All feathers
Body Contours
Body Contours
All feathers
Adult Basic Plumage
23
Molt

• One molt
• Two molts
• Complete
• Partial
• Three or more
• Continuous
• Interrupted

24
Molt

• One molt
• Two molts
• Complete
• Partial
• Three or more
• Continuous
• Interrupted

25
Molt

• One molt
• Two molts
• Complete
• Partial
• Three or more
• Continuous
• Interrupted

26
Molt

• One molt
• Two molts
• Complete
• Partial
• Three or more
• Continuous
• Interrupted

27
Molt

• One molt
• Two molts
• Complete
• Partial
• Three or more
• Continuous
• Interrupted

28
Feather Sequence
29
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
30
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
31
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
32
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
33
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
34
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
35
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
36
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
37
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
38
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
39
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
40
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
41
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
42
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
43
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
44
Feather Sequence
Majority of Passerines
45
Feather Sequence
Murres, Falcons, Parrots, a few others
46
Feather Sequence
Murres, Falcons, Parrots, a few others
47
Feather Sequence
Murres, Falcons, Parrots, a few others
48
Feather Sequence
Murres, Falcons, Parrots, a few others
49
Feather Sequence
Murres, Falcons, Parrots, a few others
50
Feather Sequence
Murres, Falcons, Parrots, a few others
51
Feather Sequence
Murres, Falcons, Parrots, a few others
52
Feather Sequence
Murres, Falcons, Parrots, a few others
53
Feather Sequence
Murres, Falcons, Parrots, a few others
54
Feather Sequence
Accipitrid Raptors
55
Feather Sequence
Accipitrid Raptors
56
Feather Sequence
Accipitrid Raptors
57
Feather Sequence
Accipitrid Raptors
58
Feather Sequence
Accipitrid Raptors
59
Feather Sequence
Accipitrid Raptors
60
Feather Sequence
Accipitrid Raptors
61
Feather Sequence
Accipitrid Raptors
62
Feather Sequence
Accipitrid Raptors
63
Feather Sequence
Accipitrid Raptors
64
Feather Sequence
Tufted Puffins Polymorphic
65
Feather Sequence
Tufted Puffins
66
Feather Sequence
Tufted Puffins
67
Feather Sequence
Tufted Puffins
68
Feather Sequence
Tufted Puffins