Bird plumage

Bird plumage is the complete covering of feathers on a bird. Its structure and colors contribute to insulation, flight, camouflage, communication, and display.

Feather: A feather is a lightweight, keratin-based structure that grows from a bird’s skin. Plumage is the arrangement of feathers covering a bird.
Feather barb: A feather barb is a branch extending from a feather’s central shaft. Interlocking barbs form the flat surfaces of many visible feathers.
Thermoregulation: Thermoregulation is the control of an organism’s body temperature within viable limits. Trapped air in plumage insulates birds against heat loss.
Sexual dimorphism: Sexual dimorphism is a difference in appearance or other traits between males and females of a species. Plumage differences between the sexes are one visible form of dimorphism.
Emperor penguin: The emperor penguin is the largest living penguin species, native to Antarctica. Its dense plumage helps insulate it in extreme cold.
Contour feather: A contour feather forms the bird’s outer body covering or the surface of a wing or tail. These feathers give plumage its visible shape and smooth outer surface.
Feather vane: A feather vane is the flattened surface formed by barbs on either side of a feather’s shaft. Vanes make flight feathers broad enough to act as airfoils.
Avian flight: Avian flight is movement through the air powered or controlled by a bird’s wings. Wing and tail plumage supplies surfaces used to generate and steer flight.
Sexual dichromatism: Sexual dichromatism is a difference in coloration between males and females of a species. It describes plumage color differences more specifically than sexual dimorphism.
Peacock: A peacock is a male peafowl, a large pheasant known for its ornamental train. Its elaborate display feathers are a prominent example of plumage used in courtship.

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