Four Unusual uses for Feathers - Feather Function #2

There are hundreds of ways that birds use feathers. These are some more unusual ones. Please subscribe to continue learning what makes life AWESOME: https://biobush.tv/subscribe The nice thing about uncommon uses for feathers is they're still common enough that you'll hear about them, but rare enough that not every bird has figured it out. #1 Bristles If you see something like an eyelash or whisker on a bird, remember that it's actually a feather! Some birds grow just the central shaft of a feather without any barbs. It's usually on insect-eating birds, so the theory is that the bristles help with prey capture or detection. On the other hand, one study found that prey capture was equally effective if the bristles were removed. So there's still more to learn. #2 Powder Down Anyone who has been near a cockatoo will tell you about the powder that seems to pour out when they shake or bathe. That powder is used for water resistance, and it's generated by special feathers! Powder down feathers have very little structure, but lots of little barbules that break into tiny pieces. The powder coats other feathers and protects the bird from water. #3 Oil Wick Another solution to avoid getting wet is for the bird to cover itself in oil or wax. Lots of birds have a gland (uropygial gland) just above their tail that produces an oily substance. The bird grabs some oil in their beak and spreads it over their feathers. Some (not all) birds with a uropygial gland also have a wick feather that draws out oil from the gland. #4 Nesting Material Many female birds develop a bare patch of feathers on their bellies right about the time they incubate eggs. This is the "brood patch", and it assists in heat transfer to the developing eggs. Since she's losing feathers anyway, many birds use their own feathers in their nests. Convenient! There will be one more video in this series, so subscribe to know when the last one comes out! Bizarre Birds - https://goo.gl/Y6W3ha Ask a Zookeeper #1 https://goo.gl/gDoYXo // New animal videos every Monday. Life is AWESOME. Learn why! I'm tweeting about birds at - https://twitter.com/BioBush And will (eventually) Instagram at - https://www.instagram.com/biobush/ Thanks for watching! You're awesome! -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn about some awesome birds in "Birds of Prey - Full Wildlife Documentary 2019" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYrufpW3PfY -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-