Types of Bird Feathers - Use Shape to Identify Feathers

Let's say you found a feather on the ground. Did you know you can identify WHERE on a bird it came from, just by looking at it? Let's learn how! Please subscribe to continue learning what makes life AWESOME: BioBush.tv/subscribe
In this video we talk about the seven types of feathers and show examples of each.
Flight - big, solid feathers that are very uneven around the central rachis
Tail - big, solid feathers that are more even around the central rachis
Contour - medium-sized curved feathers that cover the bird's body.
Semiplume - fluffy, insulating feather with a central rachis
Down - fluffy, insulating feather without a central rachis
Bristle - a central rachis with no barbs (like a bird whisker, but a feather)
Filoplume - a central rachis with a little tuft of barbs. Present on almost every part of every bird. Nobody knows what they do.
I hope this helps you next time you find a feather on the ground to get close, investigate, and make predictions. The more you practice, the better you will get at identifying feather types!
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[@gratefulpianist8640]

Underrated channel

[@BioBush]

That's very kind of you, Greatful Pianist! Thank you for your support!

[@luckyortiz4945]

Found a wing from a unfamiliar species help me to id

[@aussiebirdgirlhunter9314]

Hey I just run into your channel I love it. I’m so obsessed with birds and feathers. I’ve loved bird since I could walk. Great video!

[@cryptid1925]

I really appreciate the passion you have for birds and you make the topic seem so interesting. You have just helped me find a new area of interest: birds!

[@BioBush]

I'm so glad you are learning new and interesting things, Kimaya! Birds were a surprise interest for me too - I actually studied Marine Biology with the intent of working with fish. But after working in an aviary and realizing I needed to know WAY more about birds it turns out that they are equally fascinating and different. We all have lots more to learn about birds. Thank you for watching!

[@iloveanimals5494]

@@BioBush I invented a new game. It’s called “ Bird Guessing game”.

[@iloveanimals5494]

0:20 what kind of bird is this?

[@BioBush]

@@iloveanimals5494 Sounds fun. How would you play?

[@RKO_99]

I have seen this video a million times and still would watch it. I love learning about birds and your new video with the wildlife brothers was cool

[@BioBush]

Thank you, Reshmi! I'm glad you find value in this video. There are so many interesting things to learn about animals. Thank you for watching!

[@taoprsn]

I love birds and this is very useful

[@tyrarichburg164]

AWESOME VIDEO. I FINALLY KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN THE VARIOUS FEATHERS WE WOULD PLAY WITH AND COLLECT AS A CHILD IN NYC..🥰

[@BioBush]

Hi Tyra! I'm glad you found this helpful! Thanks for taking the time to learn.

[@sheri-.-]

Loved the video man ❤️

[@BioBush]

Thanks, Syed! There are so many interesting things to learn about birds. Thanks for watching!

[@Ecotasia]

Very well done. I love bristle feathers, they are really obvious once you know what to look fore and can really get close to a bird

[@BioBush]

Thank you, John! Are bristle feathers common on birds? I was surprised in this research that filoplume feathers are on almost every part of almost every species. We're all learning new things about birds. Thanks for your support!

[@Ecotasia]

@@BioBush well many species (primarily insectivores) have the "whisker" feathers, and then you have those amazing lashes on ostrich and hornbills

[@jenniferreynolds1398]

Dude so cool!!! Came here after picking up a giant feather.

[@BioBush]

Hi Jennifer! I'm glad you found this helpful. Is it a wing feather or a tail feather? Thanks for watching!

[@jenniferreynolds1398]

@@BioBush wing! Bald eagle, found while trout fishing here in co!

[@mamaboocee]

Awesome video! I love birds and am fascinated with the color and use of the feather! You have answered most of my feather questions! And those feathers you showed are just like beautiful gems!

[@BioBush]

Thank you for the kind words, and I'm glad you found this helpful. Feathers are incredible structures. Even with a billion dollars I don't think we could build a single feather, but birds do it by themselves every day. If you haven't learned about structural color yet, you would be very interested in structural color. There are several videos about it on this channel. Thanks for taking the time to learn about birds!

[@CSawyerRun]

Very excited to have found your channel! We are studying flying animals in our Homeschool this year and your information and knowledge has really added to our lessons! Thank you!

[@BioBush]

Thanks for the kind words, C! It's a privilege to dig up information for motivated learners like you. There are so many interesting things to learn about birds. Thank you for watching!

[@reptoJane]

Such a great video. My students loved it. We are using feathers to develop our observation skills, and I wanted the kids to do some research on the topic. This was perfect in explaining the different types and showing them what to look for in order to ID. My students had nearly 100% correct identification after watching (and most could id left or right, too!). Thank you for creating and sharing--

[@BioBush]

Hi Jane! I'm honored that you found this video helpful, and that your students could apply the knowledge. Thank you for helping your students learn about birds! :)

[@rhiannamiller7817]

Great video! I am currently in vet technician school and we need to know all about the avian! This was very helpful to visually see the different types of feathers they have. Thank you!

[@BioBush]

I'm glad this was helpful, Rhianna! There are so many things to learn about birds. Thank you for watching!

[@khshisingh2815]

Thank you, you made my day

[@BioBush]

I'm glad you found it helpful! There is so much out there to learn about birds. Thank you for watching!

[@honker3d]

i am blown away. these guys have trees growing out of them that make them fly. the true three dimensional beings. I'm definitely watching more of these.

[@goodkarmabirding]

Great info! Thank you for this!

[@BioBush]

You're welcome, Good Karma Birding! There are so many things to learn about birds. Thanks for watching! PS - Keep up the good work on your channel!

[@donfallon2422]

Excellent descriptions, thank you for this very clear presentation

[@BioBush]

Thank you, Don! There are so many things to learn about birds. Thank you for watching!

[@nature-treks.comhimalaya2255]

Great information about bird feathers, thanks BioBush

[@BioBush]

Hi Nature Treks! There is so much out there to learn. Thanks for watching again this week!

[@janefromcanada6943]

Great video! Thanks for posting

[@BioBush]

You're welcome, Jane! Thank you for the kind words and for taking time to learn about birds!

[@strazzaplaza5241]

Hi! Thanks so much for this video! My almost 5yr old found a bird feather and this was so fun and educational for her. Also you have the most calming voice. You should do child education videos, it's refreshing.

[@BioBush]

Thank you for the kind words, Strazza Plaza! I'm glad you found it had educational merit. There are so many interesting things to learn about birds. Thank you for watching!

[@asmrcat6765]

Thank you! ☺️

[@clydoscope5841]

Thank you! I really love birdssss

[@BioBush]

You are welcome here, Clydoscope! There are so many interesting things to learn about birds. Thanks for watching!

[@clydoscope5841]

@@BioBush thanks, I am really facinated by birds, especially their flying patterns

[@MyBirdingYear]

Really interesting and informative video, thank you! I will be practising my new feather identification skills next time I'm out for a walk :)

[@BioBush]

Thank you, My Birding Year! I hope this helps introduce people to the idea that different feathers can be identified. They can go from here and find more resources to become master feather identifiers. But they might never have known without the introduction. I appreciate you watching and hope you find something new on your walk!

[@sarahcarrizales9759]

Birds are my favorite animal. Feeaaaatherrrrrrs!!!!!! I got here by looking up feathers just because I like feathers.

[@BioBush]

Hi Sarah! That's awesome, and you are definitely welcome on this channel. Thanks for watching!

[@sarahcarrizales9759]

@@BioBush lol even you replying to me makes me happy as I get to see those feathers spread out again in that thumbnail. Birds are so underappreciated by many.

[@arezhogr]

I’m from kurdistan and i really want that subject thank u so much🩷🩷

[@ShelbyOnSafari]

All the hype for this feather type video! Such a brilliant idea, thank you for sharing another great video 💚🤙 do you have a favourite feather from a particular species?

[@BioBush]

Thanks for the kind words, Shelby! For feathers I'm going with the red wing feathers from turacos. They have a unique pigment not found in any other bird. Its color derives from a copper-containing porphyrin. It's a very pretty color and I always like finding them. Do you have a favorite feather? Thanks for watching again!

[@Ecotasia]

@@BioBush this may seem kind of cliche, but I love the wing feathers of the great Argus, they are really cool, because the "eyes" get larger as they go up, so that they look the same size from the perspective of a female during courtship. I guess the peacock's train has the same effect but that is multiple feathers, not just one. Edit: or I guess the tail feathers if the marvelous-spacultail

[@BioBush]

@@Ecotasia I help take care of a Great Argus Pheasant and did not know that fact. Thank you! The whole bird is covered in different areas of different artful feathers. Some are black spots on tan. Some are black swirls on brown. Plus those wing and tail feathers. It's a very pretty bird.

[@abrahamcastillo8500]

How do bird flight fathers stick together. Like each individual strand? Was my question, but you answered it haha thank you

[@BioBush]

Happy to help, Abraham! :) That hook system between barbules is ingenious, because it lets a bird repair its feathers just by rubbing its beak on them. Feather repair is also one of the primary daily activities of birds. I appreciate you taking the time to learn about birds!

[@pramitlahiri1978]

Brilliant. This will help me for my practical.

[@BioBush]

I'm glad you found this helpful, Pramit! There are so many interesting things to learn about birds. Thank you for watching!

[@sw___]

I learned something new today! Thanks.

[@BioBush]

You're welcome, Sue! There are so many interesting things to learn about birds. Thanks for watching!

[@gsxrman6319]

It's a total mystery to me way you don't get more views. You are awesome entertainment and educational.

[@BioBush]

That's very kind of you to say, James! These videos tend to grow over time. I think of it like planting trees. Some grow fast, some grow slow, but the forest is getting bigger over time. I really appreciate your support!

[@ndey6947]

Very nice exact one I was looking for 👍

[@BioBush]

Glad you found it helpful! Once you study anything closely enough it gets really surprising and interesting. Thank you for watching!

[@johnthomas5806]

thanks, now to use this information when learning to tye jigs...

[@andrewkinsey8754]

That was really interesting

[@BioBush]

Glad you enjoyed it, Andrew! There are so many interesting things to learn about birds. Thanks for watching!

[@helenamaria710]

Great - thank you! 🙏

[@BioBush]

You're welcome, Helena! There are so many interesting things to learn about birds. Thanks for watching!

[@queenslandbackyardbugsandb2761]

Today we talk about feathers. But a feather is a feather. Ph no it isn't, Steve you keep coming up with such interesting facts, I thought I had a basic knowledge of birds, but I know very little, compared to the knowledge you share with us. Don't stop sharing with us. I am going now to collect feathers. Thank you Steve.

[@BioBush]

Haha, thank you so much, Kevin! We're all learning together. Maybe I need to do a better job of showing my amazement at learning new things for every video. And there is so much more to learn - there are around 200 topic ideas in the pool for future videos. We will all learn a lot over the next few years. Thanks for your support on this journey!

[@Hezekiah-dj3bm]

I was glad to help, birds are facstinatingly wonderful creachers , And I love them!!!!!hm Jr.

[@BioBush]

There is so much out there to learn. Thanks for watching, Hezekiah!

[@user-hh9xc8ut3d]

Be wonderful if we could 3d print a feather with that level of detail.

[@BioBush]

I don't know if we'll ever be able to replicate a feather fully. It would take a 3D printer that could make objects on a microscopic scale, and it would still have different properties than a common feather (probably very brittle). But yes, an excellent goal for 3D printing, because if you can print a feather you can print almost anything. Thanks for watching, Andrew!

[@nashimn9805]

Thank you so much universe

[@keyurbelsare8928]

Nice video 👌😇

[@BioBush]

Thank you, Keyur! Always nice to hear from you!

[@rhondizzy7302]

Cool thanks man

[@BioBush]

You're welcome, Ron! There are so many interesting things to learn about birds. Thanks for watching!

[@Soviless99]

im watching this for preparing fletches for arrows ;)

[@BioBush]

That's so cool! Which feathers are fletches made from? I would guess tail feathers because they are more symmetrical, but would be happy to learn anything you have to say on the subject. Thanks for watching!

[@Soviless99]

@@BioBush wing feathers and tail feathers. ideally large birds. geese, turkeys, vultures etc. but ive made some very beautiful and quiet flying arrows from asian chicken wing feathers i got online. :)

[@lushantgurung1156]

This is so helpful I have to make a report about types of feathers but I don't know how to detect and find a filoplume feathers can you help me ?

[@BioBush]

Hi Lushant! If you're trying to find one of each feather, that's a pretty cool idea for a report. From what I have read, they are small and located on almost every part of almost every bird. They would be located at the base of each feather. There's a diagram here: www.allaboutbirds.org/news/the-most-mysterious-feather-filoplumes/ I have worked with birds for years and have never seen a filoplume (nor have I looked very closely). The odds of finding a filoplume after molting are basically zero.

[@Kashie23]

Thankue

[@BioBush]

You're welcome, Kashin! There are so many interesting things to learn about birds. Thanks for watching!

[@kihembojenipher1764]

Yes

[@mixorikhotso9367]

Sounds interesting, what is the density of the chicken feather?

[@BioBush]

Hi Mixo! That's an interesting question, because it's hard to measure the volume. The material is just keratin, like hair or fingernails, but with more air added. The amount of air varies wildly by the type of feather. There are some commercial standards. For mountain climbing gear, goose down is still the best insulator, and is measured as "the number of cubic inches filled by one ounce of material". The fanciest goose down will fill 900 cubic inches with one ounce. Converting to imperial units gives a density of 0.0019 grams per cubic centimeter. Every chicken feather is going to be more dense than that, but I'm not finding specific numbers right away. I'll research more, but hopefully this answer is helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@matthiasjagdm3949]

How big should tail feathers be in comparison to the size of the bird?

[@BioBush]

Hi Matthias! There is an enormous diversity of sizes. The Widowbird male has a tail 8x the length of the body. Pheasant and Peacock tails are long, but they can fly. Macaw tails are about 1x body length. Then there's all the normal length tails down to the Needle-tail Swift which basically has no tail. I don't think there's a wrong answer if you're copying a real bird. My feeling is that "normal" tails are around 1/3 body length (eg. House Sparrow). Good questions!

[@hajarasalih3415]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@BioBush]

Thank you, Hajara! There are lots of interesting things to learn about birds. Thank you for watching!

[@hajarasalih3415]

No need , i am studen in university reading this science...

[@syedshabbarraza6384]

Praise to the creator ❤

[@BioBush]

Isn't it amazing how many little miracles are in the world for us to discover? There is so much out there to learn. Thanks for watching, Syed!

[@syedshabbarraza6384]

@@BioBush you are right 👍

[@vishakapatel4469]

👍

[@BioBush]

Thank you, Vishaka! I appreciate you watching.

[@matthiasjagdm3949]

I have feathers which is almost the shape of 🎳 bowling pins ...what on earth is those used for?

[@BioBush]

Hi Matthias! Do you have a guess what type of bird it's from? From what I've read, all feathers like that would be for display. Feathers gain aerodynamic power as long as they stretch out in an unbroken triangle (triangle can be formed with other feathers as long as it's a solid triangle). Birds like the Motmot and Marvelous Spatuletail use similar feathers for display purposes. Good question, and thanks for watching!

[@matthiasjagdm3949]

@@BioBush some kind of duck or goose i guess

[@amankrusch5318]

Do you have an Facebook id...... Pls let me know

[@BioBush]

Hi Aman! Yes, Facbook.com/BioBush. Thanks for watching!

[@sonicyears]

My dreams to fly Buy get a actual do it and to make a bird shop Where I build different types of wings Put different occasions and then all can fly Eagle wings are the biggest of them all not the Wingspan with the biggest of them all 21'Seagull Wings are a little bit longer Therefore the beach And the gracefully for flying Owl wings graceful flying too. And I cannot turn or actually fly without a tail feather Seagull a little bit short too

[@BioBush]

That's such a cool dream! I think bird-inspired wings, plus a powered frame, might actually be possible in the next 50 years. People have been trying this idea for hundreds of years, but our materials, on-board computers, simulations, and power sources are closer than ever to making that dream a reality. I hope you're the one that does it. Thank you for watching!

[@Cinderblock656]

i have a lot of feathers 😅

[@BioBush]

That's fun, Haylee! I hope you learned more about identifying them. Thanks for watching!

[@rlowle1228]

To bad picking up a feather is a federal offense.

[@BioBush]

That may be true of native species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It sounds restrictive, but that law has saved countless individual birds and probably several species over the last 100 years. Fortunately, identifying/photographing a feather is legal! Thanks for watching, R lowle! PS - The feathers pictured were all picked up from the ground, belonging to non-native species living in aviaries.

[@rlowle1228]

@@BioBush But what average joe knows what feather goes with what bird. Why doesn't that Gov't only fine the hat makers that are killing birds for adornment. Im all for protecting all animals my state has put a bounty on coyotes. The governor got paid off by the gun lobby to kill them all. So picking up a molted feather from any bird seems like a reward from the gods.

[@maryrosekent8223]

R lowle The reason it’s illegal for people to own feathers, skulls, or other parts of native North American birds is because you can’t prove you didn’t kill the bird in order to attain said bird part. Another reason why it’s a bad plan in general is because of bird mites; if you unintentionally introduce bird mites into your environment, good luck getting them to ever go away. They will not only eat through all bird-associated items you have, they will also eat any rattan furniture you may have and they can cause allergic reactions among your friends and family.