Feathers

[LanczSpringer]

Just been looking at one of Cosmo's moulted feathers, aint they wonderful things!!

I got thinking.....always bad!! ;-)

What determines a feather to grow in a certain shape?
Is it the surrounding feathers guide the new feather into shape whilst in blood?
or is there a pre-determined shape for all feathers set by genes etc?

[Ben C]

Goodfooter will know.

But my shot is this: Pure genetics through natural selection..:yawinkle:

If they grew any other way then the bird would be ******ed and obviously be at the mercy of the elements and other animals. As it is, the feathers are perfect, Cosmo is perfect: hence the reason for you owning him....He is a perfect working animal, functioning stupendously well in his niche.

If the surrounding feathers DO determine the shape of the new ones, then Cosmo has that pre-determining gene in his makeup....... (I would suspect).

Antony I have a scientific paper which examines the "Flight Dynamics of a moulting bird and it effects on wind coeficients and natural selection": Dull as ****e to read, but may interest a nuclear physicist!!! :grin: :eek: :!:

[GregMik]

Moved.........

[Mr_Colin]

I'll be glad when your moults are over and you two dont have time to debate stuff like this :roll: :D

[GoodFooter]

Goodfooter will know.

But my shot is this: Pure genetics through natural selection..:yawinkle:

If they grew any other way then the bird would be ******ed and obviously be at the mercy of the elements and other animals. As it is, the feathers are perfect, Cosmo is perfect: hence the reason for you owning him....He is a perfect working animal, functioning stupendously well in his niche.

If the surrounding feathers DO determine the shape of the new ones, then Cosmo has that pre-determining gene in his makeup....... (I would suspect).

Antony I have a scientific paper which examines the "Flight Dynamics of a moulting bird and it effects on wind coeficients and natural selection": Dull as ****e to read, but may interest a nuclear physicist!!! :grin: :eek: :!:
Genotype....though pressure/ damage to/from surrounding feathers may affect a new feather whilst growing. Length, shape, colour and constitution on the whole would be genetically determined......and yes (in the wild) natural selection would select the best genetics over time to the greater degree. so I agree with Ben....( becoming a habit)

[LanczSpringer]

Cheers guys, it is interesting to a Nuclear "CHEMIST" I aint no Physicist!!

[Trappa]

I'll be glad when your moults are over and you two dont have time to debate stuff like this :roll: :D
Here here !!!