All of them have a central shaft and softer “barbs” that branch out from the shaft. In flight feathers, the barbs interlock like Velcro teeth to form the smooth, windproof surface of the vanes.

The vane on the leading edge — or “forward,” in the direction of a bird’s flight — is narrower and the fibers are generally ...

The belly feathers of the male desert sandgrouse can absorb and carry water. Researchers have, for the first time, closely examined the unique structure of these feathers to see how they do it and ...