Bird Feather Identification Guide

The curved wing feathers on a hummingbird help it take flight.

Bird-watchers and biologists can identify birds by their feathers, or "plumage." Each feather on a bird has a specific function. By examining a single feather, it is possible to identify the type of bird it belonged to and the part of the body if came from.

Types of Feathers

Each part of a bird has a different type of feather. Wing feathers are curved to catch the wind, tail feathers are flat and more flexible than wing feathers, while body feathers are soft and full.

Function of Feathers

A male peacock attracts females and defends territory with his bright plumage.

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a bird's feathers play a role in mating, territorial dominance, regulation of body temperature, camouflage and flight. Male birds attract females and defend territory with bright and colorful plumage. Feathers regulate body temperature by keeping a bird warm and dry. Plumage also help to camouflage a bird in its surroundings, as well allowing it to take flight.

Feather Identification

The U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory has an online "Feather Atlas," which has a database of bird feathers to help with feather identification. Matches can be found by comparing any found feather to the database of hundreds of scanned feathers.

References

• Nature Skills: Bird Feathers: Identification and Exploration
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Feathers and Plumages

Resources

• U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory: The Feather Atlas