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Feather anatomy

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Subject: Feather anatomy
From: "Philip A. Veerman" <>
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 15:22:27 +1100
Jenny,
1.    Calamus or quill below the vane, rachis on the vane part.
2.    Hook or hooklets on the barbules, and
3.    Not just the ends of owl feathers are soft (I don't think frayed is the right word) but the whole or most of, the upper and lower surface of the vane of the main flight feathers is fluffy in owls. This contributes to making their flight silent. The texture of an owl's wing is quite different to other birds for that reason (very soft).
 
Philip
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter and Jenny Farrell <>
To: Birding Aus <>
Date: Saturday, 14 February 2004 23:12
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Feather anatomy

Hi again

What do you call the spine part down the middle of the feather?

What do you call the little barbs that hold the strands of the feathers
together?

And is it that the ends of the owls feathers being frayed ?? that make
their flight silent?

Jenny
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