What is the stick of a feather called?

quill
All feathers have a stiff stalk, called a shaft, in the center. One end of the shaft, called the quill, sticks into the bird’s skin. The rest of the shaft is called the rachis.

What are the fluffy parts of a feather called?

The soft part of the feather is called the vane. If you can look at this part through a microscope or magnifying glass, you will see that it has tiny hairs called barbs. Those hairs also have tiny hairs called barbules. They function like a hook and latch…

What is a bird vane?

Rectrices: the flight feathers of the tail. Most bird species have 10-12 rectrices. Vane: the smooth feather surface formed by the interlocked pennaceous barbs. On remiges, the anterior vane is on the forward side of the rachis (the leading edge).

What is the parts of a feather?

Feather Anatomy The parts of a feather you can see with the unaided eye are the rachis, vane, afterfeather, barbs, downy barbs and the hollow shaft. There are also tiny parts called barbules and hooklets that help hold the barbs together and give the feather its shape.

What are the contour feathers?

Contour feathers (including the flight and tail feathers) define the body outline and serve as aerodynamic devices; filoplumes (hair feathers) and plumules (down feathers) are used principally as insulation, to conserve body heat. Colours and patterns in feathers serve as protective coloration or for sexual…

What is the quill of a feather?

1. One of the large feathers of a bird’s wing, or one of the rectrices of the tail; also, the stock of such a feather. A pen for writing made by sharpening and splitting the point or nib of the stock of a feather; as, history is the proper subject of his quill. …

What are the parts of a bird feather?

What are the parts of a feather called?

Which is part of a feather holds the vanes?

Rachis or Shaft: (Pronounced RAY-kiss) The long, slender central part of the feather that holds the vanes. It’s like the mast that holds the sails. Barb: The barbs grow from the rachis. Each barb is a feather within a feather with a little shaft and little barbs of its own called barbules.

Where are the vanes located on a bird’s wing?

Tertial: the innermost flight flight feathers of the wing, attached to the humerus bone in the bird’s upper arm. There are usually 3-4 tertials. Vane: the smooth feather surface formed by the interlocked pennaceous barbs. On remiges, the anterior vane is on the forward side of the rachis (the leading edge).

Which is the plumed part of a feather?

Vane: The plumed part of the feather that grows from the central shaft. The vanes are like the canvas sails on a mast. Notice that the two vanes of this feather are about equally wide.

What makes up the shaft of a feather?

Shaft: The combination of the rachis and the calamus. Vane or Vexillum: The portion of the feather that extends to either side of the rachis and is composed of the barbs and their associated structures. The vane is either plumulaceous (soft and downy) or pennaceous (compact and closely knit) depending on the individual type of feather.