Latest Feather Stories
Deciphering microscopic clues hidden within fossils, scientists have uncovered the vibrant colors that adorned a feathered dinosaur extinct for 150 million years, a Yale University-led research team reports online Feb. 4 in the journal Science.Unlike recently published work from China that inferred the existence of two types of melanin pigments in various species of feathered dinosaurs, the Science study analyzed color-imparting structures called melanosomes from an entire fossil of a single...
The color of some feathers on dinosaurs and early birds has been identified for the first time, reports a paper published in Nature this week.The research found that the theropod dinosaur Sinosauropteryx had simple bristles "“ precursors of feathers "“ in alternate orange and white rings down its tail, and that the early bird Confuciusornis had patches of white, black and orange-brown coloring. Future work will allow precise mapping of colors and patterns across the whole bird.Mike...
DES PLAINES, Ill., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Bob Hickman, United Feather & Down's Senior Vice Present of Sales and Marketing, and Neil A. Petrocelli, Borghese, Inc.'s Vice President of Marketing, list their top sleep and beauty tips. 1. Aloe vera gel penetrates skin almost four times faster than water, and its super emollient qualities help it moisturize the under layers of skin. Aloe treated bedding is kind to your skin to help you awaken refreshed and rejuvenated. 2. Choose the right...
In the late 1920s, people intentionally introduced birds known as Japanese white-eyes into Hawaiian agricultural lands and gardens for purposes of bug control. Now, that decision has come back to bite us. A recent increase in the numbers of white-eyes that live in old-growth forests is leaving native bird species with too little to eat, according to a report published online on September 17th in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication. The findings show that introduced species can alter...
Yale University scientists say they have discovered evidence of vivid iridescent colors existing in feather fossils more than 40 million years old. The researchers said their finding represents the first evidence of a preserved color-producing nanostructure in a fossilized feather. Iridescence is the quality of changing color depending on the angle of observation, such as the rainbow of colors seen in an oil slick, the scientists said. These feathers produced a black background with a...
Known for their wide variety of vibrant plumage, birds have evolved various chemical and physical mechanisms to produce these beautiful colors over millions of years. A team of paleontologists and ornithologists led by Yale University has now discovered evidence of vivid iridescent colors in feather fossils more than 40 million years old.The finding, published online August 26 in Biology Letters, signifies the first evidence of a preserved color-producing nanostructure in a fossilized...
ADA, Okla., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Cultural artifacts of historical significance are often lost with the passing of time, leaving only those things that have been made of stone or bone -- or that have been expertly encased. To the Chickasaw and other southeastern Native American tribes one artifact hard-pressed to withstand the wages of time -- the feather cape -- was made to honor tribal elders and leaders. Written in the voice of tribal elder Robert Perry, "The Turkey Feather Cape: My...
DES PLAINES, Ill., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- United Feather & Down, the nation's premier purveyor of luxury down for use in high-quality bedding is, for the first time, offering unprecedented value for online shoppers. The company is introducing a Web site, http://www.ufandd.com, the new online home for United Feather & Down's Factory Outlet Store. Consumers will find a wide selection of bedding essentials from cushy down pillows to down or down-alternative comforters and duvets,...
Recent studies have shown that birds sporting brightly colored plumage are more susceptible to being infected with feather-eating bacterium, according to a BBC Earth report.The bacterial infection can harm the birds' health and cause their feathers to become dull. The discovery comes from a study that found 99% of all Eastern bluebirds observed in the state of Virginia to be afflicted with feather-degrading bacteria. Although this kind of bacteria was first found 10 years ago, the latest...
Scientists in Nevada are reporting development of a new and environmentally friendly process for producing biodiesel fuel from "chicken feather meal," made from the 11 billion pounds of poultry industry waste that accumulate annually in the United States alone. Their study is scheduled for the July 22 issue of ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.In the study Mano Misra, Susanta Mohapatra, Narasimharao Kondamudi, and Jason Strull note that...
Latest Feather Reference Libraries
The rosy feather star (Antedon bifida) is a species of crinoid that can be found in northwestern waters of Europe. Its range extends from Portugal in the south to the Shetland Islands and includes Venezuela, West Africa, Algeria, and Tunisia. This species resides at an average depth of 650 feet, although it can occasionally be found in deeper waters. The rosy feather star has a disc shaped body that is concave and holds ten arms that resemble a fern. These arms can grow to be ten inches...
The Rosy feather star is a species of starfish in the Antedonidae family. It is found in North West Europe along the coast. The specific area of the coast is between the Shetland Islands south to Portugal. There have been sightings in Algeria, Tunisia, West Africa and Venezuela. The Western and Eastern coasts of the British Isles has a climate that promotes the growth of the Antedon bifida. It grows between the low tide mark and 650 feet deeper. Clinging to rocks, seaweed and mollusks, it...
The Giant Feather Duster Worm (Eudistylia polymorpha) is a species of marine polychaete worm of the Sabellidae family. Its range extends along the western coast of North America, from Alaska to California. It is most commonly found in the intertidal zone in tide pools and in the neritic (coastal) zone at depths up to 1,375 feet. It is often found in groups along rocks, reefs, pilings, wharves and marinas. Its common name comes from the crown of tentacles extended when the animal is under...
Caudipteryx, meaning "tail feather", is a genus of small theropod dinosaur that lived during the Aptian Age of the Early Cretaceous Period (124 million years ago). There are two species known, C. zoui (described 1998) and C. dongi. (described 2000). It was first discovered in 1997 in the Yixian Formation of the Sihetun area of Liaoning Province, northeastern China. The genus appears to have been fairly common, though isolated to the small region where it has been found. This region was also...
The Red-shouldered Macaw (Diopsittaca nobilis), also known as the Noble Macaw, Long-wing Macaw, and Hahn's Macaw, is a species of parrot native to Venezuela, the Guianas, Bolivia, Brazil, and far south-eastern Peru. It is found mostly in tropical lowlands, savannah and swamplands. This is not considered an endangered species, although populations in the wild have declined due to habitat loss. Though not considered endangered, it is illegal to export wild caught birds of this species. The...
