Yes, you can take a picture of a feather and identify what bird it came from. With the right tools and resources, a photo of a feather can reveal a lot of information about the bird species it belonged to. In this article, we’ll go over how to photograph a feather properly, what details to look for, and how to use field guides and online databases to match your feather to a species. With some sleuthing skills and a bit of patience, identifying a feather is very achievable for amateur naturalists and bird enthusiasts.
How to Photograph the Feather
The first step is taking a clear, well-lit, in-focus photo of the feather. This will allow you to see all the important structural details needed for identification. Here are some tips:
- Use a DSLR camera or smartphone camera with macro capabilities. Macro mode allows you to take super close-up shots.
- Use a high resolution setting to capture as much detail as possible.
- Ensure the feather takes up most of the frame.
- Light the feather evenly from multiple angles to avoid shadows.
- Use a white, gray or black background for contrast.
- Take photos from multiple angles – top, bottom, front and back.
- Include something for scale like a coin or ruler.
- Keep the camera parallel to the feather to avoid distortion.
- Make sure the entire feather is in clear focus.
Patience and experimenting with angles, backgrounds and lighting will result in photos with clear views of the feather’s distinguishing features.
What Details to Look for
Once you’ve photographed the feather, there are some key aspects to look for that will help narrow down what species it could be from:
Color
The color or colors present are one of the first clues. Note whether the feather is iridescent or has distinct bands, spots or patterns. Be aware the color may have faded if the feather is old.
Size
The length and width of the feather compared to your scale marker provides context on whether it’s from a small perching bird or a large raptor, for example.
Shape
Note the overall shape and proportions of the feather. Is it long and pointed or short and rounded? Symmetrical or irregular?
Parts of the Feather
Key parts to note are the central shaft (rachis), vane, barbs and barbules. Also look for specialized feathers like downy body feathers or stiff tail feathers (rectrices).
Texture
Determine if the feather appears smooth, fluffy, soft, stiff or coarse. This can indicate what area of the body it came from.
Unique Markings
Look for any distinctive spots, stripes, patterns or sheens that could help identify the species. Be sure to check the underside too.
Having clear photos that capture these details from all angles will provide the visual information needed to start the identification process.
Using a Field Guide
A field guide is a bird watching essential for identifying unknown feathers. There are guides dedicated entirely to feathers, but most bird field guides also include feather descriptions and diagrams for each species. Here are some tips for using a guide:
- Study the feather anatomy and terminology sections first to understand what you’re looking at.
- Flip through the species accounts and look for matching colors, patterns, sizes and textures.
- Make note of any potential matches, especially if other details like location also line up.
- Read the full descriptions of your possible matches to confirm consistency.
- Study the accompanying feather diagrams and compare to your photos.
- Consider similar related species as it can be tricky even for experts.
Field guides provide a great starting point. However, online databases can provide more photos for comparison and confirmation.
Searching Online Feather ID Databases
There are some great online databases where you can search for feather identifications digitally. This provides more matching options than a book. Here are some top options:
Featherbase
One of the largest curated databases of North American bird feather photos. They have an excellent search function where you can filter by color, pattern, location and other criteria to find lookalike matches. Accounts for each species provide multiple angles. Very user friendly site.
Ornithology Collections
Many natural history museums have digitized their bird specimen collections, including feathers. For example, the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates. These collection databases can be searched but require very specific key terms.
eBird
While not a feather database, this citizen science platform has an extensive library of bird photos that can be compared side by side to your images. The species accounts also detail feather characteristics. Helpful if location is known.
Online Groups
Birding and ornithology groups on Facebook and other forums will sometimes help identify mystery feathers. Post your best photos and details for feedback from experts.
Final Identification Tips
Identifying a feather takes patience and practice. Even for professionals, some feathers remain classified as “unknown origin”. To confirm an ID:
- Rule out similar related species by carefully comparing photos and descriptions side-by-side.
- Have multiple people review your findings to reach a consensus.
- Only label exact species if every characteristic matches conclusively. Otherwise use genus or family.
- Know when to enlist expert help from a local university or museum.
Found feathers offer a unique opportunity to study birds up close. Following the right steps to photograph, observe and compare will give you the best chance of feather ID success.
Conclusion
Identifying a feather you’ve found is an exciting challenge for any bird enthusiast. With close-up photography, field guides and online databases at your disposal, it is quite possible to properly ID a feather to species in many cases with some sleuthing. Key aspects to look for are color, size, shape, specialized structures, texture and unique markings. Comparing your photos to field guide diagrams and the wealth of images available online will help match the feather to potential species. Go systematically through identification resources while ruling out unlikely options. With practice, patience and scrutiny, the origins of a mystery feather will reveal themselves to you.
Step | Description |
---|---|
1 | Photograph the feather properly with clear, well-lit, detailed shots from multiple angles. |
2 | Observe key details – color, size, shape, specialized structures, texture, markings. |
3 | Consult field guides, compare descriptions and diagrams to feather photos. |
4 | Search online feather ID databases and collections, filter by details. |
5 | Compare many photos of candidate species side-by-side. |
6 | Have bird experts review findings and reach consensus. |
Website | Details |
---|---|
Featherbase | Searchable database of North American bird feather photos. |
Ornithology Collections | Digitized bird specimens from natural history museums. |
eBird | Extensive library of bird photos and sighting details. |
Facebook Groups | Connect with experts to identify mystery feathers. |