Friday Feather Fact: “Down” to a fine art! For waterfowl, the fluffy layer of down feathers that lies below the outer contour feathers has several purposes throughout the year. Down feathers create an insulating layer during cold weather by trapping warm air close to the birds’ body. This air-filled layer of feathers also helps waterfowl to be more buoyant on water. During the breeding season, female waterfowl pluck their own down feathers to insulate their nests, providing temperature regulation and cushioning for the eggs. Before leaving the nest to feed, the incubating bird will often pull a blanket of down feathers over the eggs to retain heat and camouflage the nest. Ducklings hatch with a layer of natal down, which will provide warmth until they grow their first set of contour feathers and adult down. Photos: - North American Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) incubating a clutch of eggs at the Sylvan Heights Avian Breeding Center - North American Wood Duck eggs surrounded by down - Newly-hatched Hooded Merganser ducklings (Lophodytes cucullatus) in a nest lined with down - Flying Steamer Duck (Tachyeres patachonicus) with natal down (fb)

Catch up with the birds this holiday weekend! Sylvan Heights Bird Park will be open from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm every day, including Memorial Day Monday, May 26th. (fb)