feathers the evolution of a natural miracle

Human fascination with feathers runs much deeper than science, involving art, myth, commerce, romance, religion and the patterns of daily life. Feathers are like Velcro and small sections have to be reattached to one another for optimal flight. It spends so much time underwater looking for fish to eat that it evolved without water repellent oil.īirds have to preen on a daily basis because flight is so important. Most birds have waterproof feathers to repel precipitation, but the cormorant has to “dry its laundry” (wings) before it flies efficiently. The Migratory Bird Treaty of 1918 made it illegal for anyone to take, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or feathers, nests, or eggs of such a bird except under the terms of a valid permit issued pursuant to federal regulations. The attitude of protecting birds eventually caught on and National Audubon was incorporated in 1905. The Lacey Act of 1900 ended this practice, but loopholes eventually led to a special international treaty. Mass Audubon was founded back in 1896 to stop the killing of birds for decorating women’s hats.

Owls also have specially evolved fine saw-toothed wing feathers that are almost silent in flight to enable them to sneak up on prey. Some feathers are pigmented, like the great horned owl and cardinal, but some are designed to refract light and make the viewer see a certain hue like the blue jay’s garb and wood duck’s iridescent colors.

The trees and bushes are leafless that time of year and birds can be easily seen by meat eaters. The drab coloration of all most all birds in wintertime is so they won’t be seen by predators like hawks, fox and coyotes.

Feathers the evolution of a natural miracle