Day: August 4, 2023

Question: Can you help me identify this feather? – 3 separate recent requests.

One important reminder – Feathers are protected. If you find a feather, study it, photograph it, appreciate it, but leave it where you found it. Under federal law it is illegal to take them home. If you plan to identify later, make sure to note it’s size, date, and location (city but also field versus beach, etc.).

Answer: In 2020 we published Birds of a Feather which discussed feather identification. I used it to provide my answer at the end of this article. Refresh your skillset by re-reading that article. Before I give my analysis (and guesses) …. an experiment.

Several of us have been playing around with Google Bard (mentioned on 60 Minutes) to see what this Artificial Intelligence tool creates. Our observations are:

• The tool can give us a good start for an article but requires editing before publication
• We don’t like that it doesn’t provide the source of information.
• Some of the information is outdated (or even inaccurate)
• Finally, the result is rather impersonal

Google Bard’s results to “Create an article on bird feather identification”: (Only edit was to remove it’s final paragraph. What do you think?)

Bird feathers are fascinating objects. They are not only beautiful, but they also play an essential role in a bird’s life. Feathers help birds to fly, stay warm, and attract mates.

If you are interested in birding, learning to identify bird feathers can be a great way to get started. There are a few key things to look for when identifying bird feathers:

• Color: The color of a feather can be a helpful clue to its identity. However, it is important to remember that the color of a feather can vary depending on the species of bird, the age of the bird, and the time of year.
• Shape: The shape of a feather can also be a helpful clue to its identity. For example, primary feathers are long and pointed, while tail feathers are often wide and fan-shaped.
• Texture: The texture of a feather can also be a helpful clue to its identity. For example, down feathers are soft and fluffy, while contour feathers are stiff and waterproof.

In addition to these general characteristics, there are a few other things to look for when identifying bird feathers:

• Barring: Some feathers have a distinctive barring pattern. This pattern can be helpful in identifying the species of bird the feather came from.
• Spots: Some feathers have spots. The shape, size, and color of the spots can be helpful in identifying the species of bird the feather came from.
• Ribs: Some feathers have ribs. The number and shape of the ribs can be helpful in identifying the species of bird the feather came from.

If you are interested in learning more about bird feather identification, there are a few resources available to help you. The Feather Atlas: https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/ is a great resource for identifying bird feathers. The website has a database of over 10,000 bird feathers, and it allows you to search by color, shape, and other characteristics.

Another great resource is the book Birding by Feathers by Richard Thomas. This book provides detailed information on the identification of bird feathers. It includes information on the different types of feathers, how to identify them, and how to use them to identify bird species.

With a little practice, you will be able to identify bird feathers like a pro!

It’s last paragraph said “Collect feathers from a variety of sources, including your own backyard, nature centers, and bird sanctuaries.“. As stated above, that is NOT a good idea.

Bird identification of submitted feathers:

The first feather surprised me. The submitter told me it was found on Ocean Winds golf course near the lagoon with the rookery. I was SURE it was a Wood Stork. I went to US Fish and Wildlife’s Feather Atlas…my feather was not only the wrong coloring, it was the wrong size. So I started using their ID tool and the resultant identification is a Pileated Woodpecker! The person who submitted the feather went to Merlin and found a picture that makes it all make sense.

The second feather was an equally confusing identification. As with the first, I had a pre-conceived idea. Given my experience on the Wood Stork, I used the ID tool but no ID matched my feather. So I went to plan B and entered my “guess”. I think my initial thought was correct that it is a female Northern Cardinal.

The most recent feather required me to get a second opinion. My original thought was Carolina Wren. The search in the Feather Atlas showed me the pattern was incorrect. So again, I went through the ID tool and the best match was a surprise. I asked a friend for their opinion and they actually used Merlin photo ID that came up with the same answer I had. (Neither of us had used Merlin Photo ID on a feather before. We’ll have to try it again.) She then used Seek from iNaturalist. It came up with the same answer – a Chuck-wills-widow! I’m definitely going to have to use Seek for other research projects.

This exercise has shown me that there is no definitive tool to use but the research can be a very learning experience in multiple ways.

Sources:
US Fish and Wildlife Service – Feather Atlas
Merlin from The CornellLab
Seek from iNaturalist
Bard.Google.com

Submitted by Judy Morr