EAGLE FEATHER HOW TO

Unfortunately, unless you’re in Native American stores that sell such items, there’s not much chance that your eagle feather is real. If you ever go to a specialty store and find that they are selling “authentic Eagle feathers,” it is important to know whether they are real.

EAGLE FEATHER HOW TO

Related post: How To Identify Turkey Feathers How Can You Tell If an Eagle Feather is Real? Bald eagle perched on a beaver lodge. This should help you understand whether the feathers you found around an alleged eagle nesting area are genuinely from this bird. Note that younger eagles will have feathers at least half the size of full-grown adults, though. These differences should be minor, however, and the patterns mentioned above should be pretty similar throughout. Subadult eagles (between 1-4 years, depending on the specific eagle) also vary slightly in color and pattern, depending on their age. For example, juvenile eagles typically have whiter feathers with a “fluffier” appearance similar to down. Please note that these feathers may change slightly in appearance as the eagle ages. Eagle feathers may look different based on the eagle’s age Bald Eagle covert feathers.

Many adult bald eagles have white tail feathers.

For example, they may include extensive white patches among the dark gray, which varies depending on the feather. They may be more spotted than other feathers on an eagle’s body. Images courtesy of the US Fish and Wildlife Service Feather AtlasĪn eagle’s tail feathers are typically about the same overall size and shape as secondary wing feathers and help eagles make the quick pivoting actions necessary to catch clever prey. Tail Feathers Various colorations seen in bald eagle tail feathers. The bottom is fairly “fluffy” compared to other feathers. They typically have a black tip that splits into a white section that runs along the interior edge. They provide extra insulation to a bird’s body that helps them stay warm and cool in appropriate seasons. These shorter and broader feathers are typically between 20-24 centimeters or 7.8-9.4 inches long. Axillary and Covert Feathers Images courtesy of fws.gov They have a fairly dark color that veers towards black but whitens up towards the base at the tip. They range from about 28-32 centimeters or 11-12 inches in length. They help with control and lift and give an eagle maximum turning capacity. Images courtesy of fws.govĪn eagle’s secondary wing feathers are shorter but broader feathers that exist just beneath the primary feathers. Related post: How To Identify Red Tailed Hawk Feathers Secondary Wing Feathers Variations seen in bald eagle secondary feathers.

They are typically dark gray at the narrow tip for most of their length before widening out at the base and lightening to white toward the feather’s tip. They help provide maximum lift and control when flying and are between 32-44 centimeters or 12-17 inches long in a full-grown adult. Primary wing feathers are often the longest wings on an Eagle’s body. In the following bullet list, we’ll highlight what eagle wing feathers look like, as well as other important feathers that may easily fall off their body: Primary Wing Feathers Note how the coloration of bald eagle primary feathers can change with age. Thankfully, most eagle feathers are fairly uniform in color and shape, especially those of bald eagles. The various feather types on an eagle’s body work together to create their coloring and may look very different from what you’d expect looking at an eagle at rest.Īs a result, it is important to break down the various feather types that exist on an eagle and discuss their length and coloring patterns. There’s nothing more exciting than finding a large feather near an eagle nesting area! But how do you know for sure that you’ve found the real thing? After all, feathers can be quite complex in their coloring. How Do You Tell If It’s an Eagle Feather? Note, while we are focusing on bald eagles in this post, most eagles have similar feathers. How do you know for sure if you’ve found a feather from this sometimes elusive bird? Let’s look at a few important (and fun) facts to learn more! Its symbolism is diverse and spread throughout many parts of various cultures.Īs a result, there’s always a lot of excitement whenever somebody finds what may or may not be an eagle feather. Even outside of America, which has an obviously tight connection with the bird, the eagle is a beloved species with many admirers. There’s nothing quite like seeing a bald eagle flying overhead to inspire the imagination.