It is an element that is part of the body of all birds, flying or not, and serves to cover their skin from cold, wind, water or other elements of the environment, which allows them to better protect themselves. The feathers can be found on the bird in several layers, the outermost being thicker and the innermost being softer, even having color variations between the layers. Each feather together forms what is known as plumage, depending on the animal, the time of year, nervous states, etc. It can change and be progressively replaced by new plumage.
In the science that studies animals, zoology, plumage is considered one of the existing integumentary systems. A integumentary system is one that covers the body of an animal to isolate it and protect the internal organs from the external environment. One of these integumentary systems is the plumage and to remove an animal completely the set of feathers can undoubtedly expose it to an endless number of complications such as diseases, infections, etc. The replacement of feathers occurs naturally in the body of the animal but progressively. In the same way, when an animal is exposed to alterations in its feathers it suffers in the same way that a human being does.when your skin is affected. In this sense, a very characteristic example is poultry that suffer significant damage to their plumage and that can face infections or even suffocation due to the presence of petroleum material in their bodies. The types of feathers of a bird can be divided into:
- Rémiges: they are the feathers that are used for flight. They are found on the forearm and hand. They are also called t-shirts.
- Straighteners: they are the feathers placed on the tail. They serve to regulate the direction of the flight.
- Covers or contour feathers: they are distributed throughout the body.
- Aur Aurora Covers: small feathers that cover the ears.
- Bottom: concentrated in the lower part of the body, being thicker during the incubation period; It constitutes a thermal insulation for the bird's body.
- Filoplumas: fine and elongated feathers in the form of a thread.
- Vibrissa - spots that have a tactile function; They are arranged in the corners of the beak, the nostrils or around the eyes.
