flight feather

Airfoil plume structure

A flight feather is one of the large, stiff feathers on a bird's wing or tail that provide the surface area and rigidity needed for flight.

The wing's flight feathers include the primaries at the wingtip and secondaries closer to the body.

Clipping flight feathers temporarily grounds captive birds without permanent harm.

structure

quill

Feather used for writing

  • rachisCentral supporting shaft
  • shaftNarrow vertical passage
  • vaneWind direction indicator

barbs · hooklets · calamus · keratin · afterfeather · asymmetry · leading edge · trailing edge · interlocking · flexibility

anatomy

primaries

Intraparty nomination contests

coverts · follicle · molting · preening · emergence · growth · replacement · wear · damage

aerodynamics

lift

Mechanism for vertical transport

  • thrustForceful forward motion
  • dragResistance through fluid
  • airfoilLift-generating curved surface

camber · streamline · maneuverability · glide · soar · flap · vortex · air resistance · downstroke · upstroke

uses

fletching

Arrow stabilizing feathers

fly-tying · arrow · calligraphy · ceremonial · adornment · millinery · costume · decoration

Categories
Opposites
feather type by function

flight featherdown feather

Soft bird underlayer

down · plumule · contour feather · afterfeather

aerodynamic capability

flight featherdown

Toward lower ground

fluff · undercoat

Family

flight, flying, feather, feathers, flyer, flier, flights, flyers, fledgling

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G