Book 23, Question 44
How Does a Feather Stay Light, Strong, and Smooth?
A feather is light, strong, and smooth all at once. How does it do that? It zips itself together! A bird can have thousands of feathers on its body.
More fun facts
- Every feather is made of a protein called beta-keratin.
- A feather's stiff central shaft branches into barbs, and the barbs branch into even smaller barbules.
- The barbules have microscopic hooks that grip each other like Velcro, making a smooth vane that blocks wind and water.
- The base of a feather's shaft is hollow.
- When barbules get pulled apart, a bird uses its beak to guide them back into place. This is called preening.
- Feathers are dead, so they cannot heal. Birds shed their old feathers and grow a whole new set every year.
- If spilled oil coats the feathers and breaks up their hooked structure, a bird can become waterlogged and helpless.
Sources: academy.allaboutbirds.org
Questions kids ask
Why are down feathers so fluffy?
Their barbs are loose and do not hook together, so they trap warm air close to the bird's body.