Smart Feathers – Biomimicry for Young Children

Owls have beautiful as well as smart feathers!

Why not make a project and study feathers?

The beauty of bird feathers provides inspiration for art activities. And their smart design is perfect for young curious biomimicrist. A great way to study how feathers have evolved and to use their clever design as an inspiration for searching for new possibilities.

When is it good to be quiet?

Can you invent a quiet machine or robot?

Owls have different types of feathers and the main reason they can fly silently though the night is that their primary feathers are serrated like a comb. One edge of the feather is serrated while the other edge has a soft fringe edge.

Soft and fluffy down feathers help to keep them warm and they also help to reduce teh noise. These feathers are found on their wings and legs.

Photo Wikipedia

Art activity using bird feathers.

We used gelli printing to decorate feathers.

Bird feathers are evolutionary wonders.

You can download a booklet about Owls for free at my blog, Teachers Pay Teachers or TES.

Sparking Thinkibility Book Tips

Bird feathers are evolutionary wonders.

The book Feathers: Displays of Brilliant Plumage by Robert Clark is brimming with exquisite photos and facts to tempt the curious mind to embark on a journey filled with beauty and ideas about how the thousand of varieties of feathers have developed throughout history. This book is a perfect marriage between art and scienc; detailed cl0se-ups of feathers is paired with text about the utility as well as the evolution of the feather on the photo..

The colour of scarlet macaw's feather helps it live and blend in various different habitats. This is a secondary wing covert feather.