I love finding a wild turkey feather or a blue jay feather while hiking.
The feather is an amazing piece of nature technology. Take a close look. If you cannot find a feather, purchase one in a craft supply store.
Parts of a feather:
Materials:
Procedure:
1. Study the parts of each feather.
2. Gently pull apart the strands of one feather, called barbs
3. Use the magnifying glass to study the strands
4. Notice the rolled edge and the hooked edge on each barb
5. Study a bird as it uses its beak to hook the barbs and keep its feathers smooth.
Do all birds do this? Does the size of the feather change its structure?