Different

Birds
Common Backyard Birds

Morning Dove
Common Backyard Birds

Downy Woodpecker
Common Backyard Birds

Robin
Common Backyard Birds

Crow
Common Backyard Birds

Starling
Common Backyard Birds

Sparrow
Common Backyard Birds

House Finch
Common Backyard Birds

Goldfinch
Feathers of Birds
Feathers are the ultimate characteristic of birds. No other (living) animals have
them.
All are mainly made up of keratin, which is also the main ingredient of human
nails, animal claws, and the scales on the legs and feet of birds.

Feathers are impressive structures, both extremely strong and very light. They
undergo long flights and are bent and twisted, yet they are hardly ever harmed.
 Types of Feathers
Feathers come in many different shapes, but all of them can be
classified into 6 different types of feathers. The plumes we are used to
seeing are flight and contour. Down feathers are what we use in
pillows, quilts, and coats. The other 3 feathers, semi plume, filoplume,
and bristle, are not as typical, however still helpful to birds.
1. Flight feathers
Flight feathers are present in two places on birds: the wings and tail. Flight feathers are long, and on the wings,
have one side of the vane broader than the other. They also have more powerful barbules which give them
more strength for flight.

2. Contour feathers
Contour feathers offer shape and colour to the bird. They are found everywhere except on the beak, legs, and
feet. Contour feathers are coloured just at the ends (the only part that we see). At its base, a contour feather
becomes downy which assists insulate the bird.
3. Semiplume plumes
Semiplume feathers are a cross between down and contour feathers. Unlike down, they do have actually a
well-formed shaft. However, they do not have well-developed barbicels that make them soft. Semiplume feathers
are present below contour feathers and are used for insulation.

4. Down feathers
Down feathers have little or no shaft. They are soft and fluffy. Down feathers help insulate birds by trapping air.
Some birds, such as herons, have unique down feathers called powder down which breaks up into a great
powder. The bird then spreads this fine powder all over its body to act as a water repellent.
5. Filoplume feathers
Filoplume feathers are extremely small. They have a tuft of barbs at the end of the shaft. Unlike other feathers
which are attached to muscle for motion, filoplume feathers are connected to nerve endings. These feathers send
out messages to the brain that provide information about the positioning of feathers for flight, insulation, and
preening.

6. Bristle feathers
Bristle feathers are really stiff with only a few barbs present at the base. Bristle plumes are found around the mouth
of insect consuming birds where they function as a funnel. They can also be found around the eyes where they work
like eyelashes.
 Functions of Feathers
1. Protection:
Plumes form a lightweight, invulnerable, flexible, resilient, and water-resistant body covering. They protect
the underlying tender skin from all types of injuries.

2. Heat Retention:
The birds have a consistent body temperature. Thus, the plumes serve the most essential function of
retention of heat,

❖ In winter the heat loss is lowered to a minimum by fluffing out the feathers, which increases the depth of
insulating material by contributing to the air spaces within the feathery layers.

❖ In warm weather, the feathers are frequently held near the body to enable some escape from body heat.

3. Camouflaging (Protective Coloration):

The feathers of various birds have rather characteristic protective colouration like the pigmentation of their
surroundings, which makes them indistinguishable from their regular environments and, thus, serve to
safeguard them from their opponents.
 What is Bird Migration?
Migration is when an animal moves from one region or habitat to another during a particular season. Birds
migrate twice a year, in order to find food, breed, grow or find a better climate. Birds migrate to places which are
warm, have an adequate food supply and are safe for breeding. Even birds that do not fly can migrate, such as
penguins that migrate by swimming.

Unlike other animals, birds are unable to build nests that would ensure that they would survive the winter. It is
an unpredictable season where food is scarce. Therefore many birds will migrate halfway across the world to
search for warm climates to spend the winter months. Birds don’t change the places they migrate to every year.
They follow patterns of movement that have remained unchanged for generations.
 During the winter, there is not enough food to sustain the many bird populations that depend
on a constant supply of a variety of foods. This lets birds know it is time to move on, or migrate,
to another area that can meet their needs. During the winter, birds migrate south, and in the
spring they return to the north where the weather has changed from cold to warm. The
warmer weather in the spring means there will now be enough food for the birds.
 Birds suffer from the loss of habitats and other factors that affect their migration and
reproduction patterns, leading to a decline in their numbers and even driving some to
extinction. In order to protect and reduce the death of birds, there are various actions
people can take to conserve birds and to at least give them a chance to survive.

The most appropriate and necessary actions can solve this problem on two fronts. Foremost
is protecting the birds and their numbers and secondly is protecting their habitats. With
enough people and diligence of implementation, we might even be able to reverse the
current dwindling population of birds and get those that are endangered off the list.
Songs and Videos
https://youtu.be/jLzprmI1l20

https://youtu.be/VaARSaHa5GA

https://youtu.be/WHKszRUyTpQ

https://youtu.be/kofPPkwR_kU

https://youtu.be/7oiq-MqsY8k