Flutter Flutter

Image Credit: Flickr User luc.viatour, via CC

If I wasn’t there, birds wouldn’t fly
I make them look beautiful, I keep them warm and dry
Now quickly guess and tell, Who am I ?

Feather…. Correct!

All birds have feathers that form a covering on their body. The feathers on the outside are called vaned feathers. These feathers have a hard center, with hair like projection on the side. The feathers in the birds tail help them change directions during the flight.

Vaned feather of a jaybird
Image Credit: Flickr User Aah-Yeah, via CC

Bird babies have very small soft feathers called down feathers. They keep them warm but can’t help them fly. That’s one of the reasons why tiny bird babies can’t fly. Do you want to know how bird babies learn to fly?

Down feathers of a baby bird
Image Credit: Flickr User m.gifford, via CC

Birds shed their feathers at certain times so that they can get new ones instead of used old ones. This process is called moulting. Quite beauty conscious I must say.

Feathers are essential to birds for flying. But along with that there are many other ways in which feathers help the birds. Sometimes feathers are extremely colorful that make the bird look very pretty and also help in camouflage (hide within the surroundings).

Image Credit: Flickr User kessavsendhil , via CC

Fuzzy, hairy and soft feathers help in keeping birds warm. Sometimes birds put their moulted feathers while weaving a nest so that the nest is cozy enough for their babies. Also, a lot of times feathers protect the bird from injuries.

Can you believe that such a tiny little light thing can be so useful?

 

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