FEATHERS Qn. How are feathers useful to birds?

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FEATHERS Qn. How are feathers useful to birds?

• Feathers cover and protect the body of a bird.
• Feathers enable birds to fly.
• Feathers keep the bird’s body warm.
• Feathers give the birds colour for identification.
• Feathers give the bird’s body shape.
  Qn. How do feathers keep the birds body warm?
• Feathers prevent heat loss from the bird’s body.
  Qn. How are feathers useful to people?
• Feathers are used for decoration.
• Feathers are used for making pillows.
• Feathers are used for making cushions.
• Feathers are used for making dancing props.
• Feathers are used for making clothes.
• Feathers are used for cleaning certain parts of the body e.g ears

Types of feathers

• Quill feathers / flight feathers
• Body feathers / covert feathers
• Filoplume feathers / hair feathers
• Down feathers
  Quill feathers
• Quill feathers have a strong central part called shaft and the hallow portion at the end called quill.
• Quill feathers have a flat part called the vane and space called barbs.
  Qn. Mention two body parts of a bird where quill feathers are found.
• Wings
• Tail
  Qn. How are quill feathers useful to a bird?
• Quill feathers are used for flying/flight.
  

Structure of a quill feather

Body / covert feathers

• They cover the body of a bird.
  Qn. How are covert feathers useful to a bird?
• Covert feathers prevent heat loss from the body of a bird.
• Covert feathers give the bird’s body shape.
  Diagram showing the structure of a covert feather

DOWN FEATHERS

• These are feathers a chick is hatched with.
  Qn. How are down feathers useful to a bird?
• Down feathers keep the bird’s body warm.
  Structure of a down feather

FILOPLUME FEATHERS / HAIR FEATHERS

• Filoplume feathers are the smallest feathers found nearest the bird’s skin.
• Structure of a filoplume feather

• Birds undergo biological process/change called moulting /ecdysis.
  Qn. What is moulting as used in birds?
• Moulting is the process where birds shed their old feathers to replace them with new ones.
  Note:
• Birds do not have sweat glands.
• Birds have a dry skin.
  Qn. How do birds regulate their body temperature ?
• By panting