Name ______

Hr. ____

Feather vs. Fur

Objective: Your job will be to determine whether fur or a feather is the best all around material for helping in survival.

Directions: Use a piece of fur and a feather to help in filling in the tables below. Use a reading “What makes a bird a bird” and you own knowledge.

Table 1. Mammals vs. Birds

Place checkmarks in the boxes if the information pertains to either a mammal or bird or both.

Characteristics / Mammal / Bird
Lays eggs
Warm blooded
Vertebrate
Hollow bones
Protection/insulation
Live birth
Nurses their young
Covering provides warmth

Table 2. Fur vs. Feather

Complete the table writing the information suggested about feathers and fur.

Characteristic / Fur / Feather
Texture (soft, rough)
Weight (heavy/light)
Strength (strong/not strong)
Covering of animal, does it protect it from the outdoors? (How?)

Questions:

1.Pick up a wing from the front counter. Observe the feathers. Do all the feather look the same? How are the feathers towards the end of the wing different than the feathers towards the middle? Draw for me two detailed pictures that shows me how each of the feathers are different from eachother.

Feather at end of wing / Feather in the middle of the wing

2. Look at a feather under a dissecting scope or a magnifying glass. Draw a small detailed section of a feather. Your picture should include a section of the shaft with detailed drawing of barbules and barbs. See page 443 in your textbook or the handout from up front.

3. Which two types of feathers on a bird provide insulation?(hint: use the packets to help answer)

a.

b.

4. What is the most basic function of the feather? Explain (hint: use the packets to help answer)

5. What type of feathers are found around the eyes and mouth of birds? (hint: use the packets to help answer)

6. Down fur in mammals is most like what type of feather in birds? Explain (hint: use the packets to help answer)

7. How is guard fur different than down hair? Explain (hint: use the packets to help answer)

8.Can you think of a way that a dog with thick fur might cool down? What does it do?

9. What does a bird do to cool down? (Hint: See the packets in class)

10. If you were somehow able to have either feathers or fur, What would you have and Why? (hint: use the packets to help answer)

What:

Why?:

11. Given all the information you filled in above. Which type of animal is better equipped for survival? Explain your answer. Answer should provide no less then 3-5 reasons in complete sentences.