Feathers help birds accomplish tasks that they would be unable to do otherwise. They’ve developed over the years to allow birds to survive in the wild.

There are 7 key areas where feathers do benefit birds, which in this case includes the following:

1. It Helps Them To Fly
2. It Helps With Rain, Snow And Even The Sun
3. It Helps In Attracting A Mate
4. It Helps Them Stay Warm In The Cold
5. It Allows Them To Camouflage
6. It Protects Them From Injuries
7. It Can Be Used as A Form Of Intimidation

1. It Helps Them Fly

Although not all birds with feathers can fly (ostrich, emu, kakapo) one of the primary function for most avians in the wild is to help them fly. This is because there are specific feathers which help with flight.

Some birds are able to reach insane speeds like the Peregrine falcons who can fly at a staggering 186mph. Other than flying it also helps certain birds like hummingbirds to hover, fly backwards and also allows birds to change direction and even ground to a halt through the drag force created.

2. It Helps Them Weather The Rain, Snow And Even The Sun

Feathers also help birds in a variety of weather conditions which includes in the rain, snow and even in the Sun. Feathers are water resistant and are able to handle light to medium rain without needing to expend too much more energy flying in those conditions.

Feathers aren’t naturally water resistant, the reason why them become as such is down to birds rubbing the oil form their uropygial or preen gland near the tail on to the outer surface of their plumage. This essentially insulates the interlocking barbules in the feather which in turn makes it very difficult for lighter rain particles to penetrate through to the skin

In regards to protection against the sun, darker feather avians do better in the Sun and can stay cooler as a result.

3. A Colorful Plumage Attracts Mates

Birds come in a variety of unique and vibrant colors, particularly the males among all avians. This coloful plumage helps females pick a mate in breeding season with male birds who have the more extravagant colors on their body in with a better chance in getting a mate.

Some examples of birds with colorful plumages includes the Northern Cardinal from California which is entirely red yet the female is a very basic brown color with hints of red.

Another example would be the ruby-throated hummingbirds where the males have a ruby like pattern under their neck whilst the females have a white plumage on their neck and chest.

Other than attracting the opposite sex, the coloring of the plumage is great for another useful feature that I’ll be covering in detail further below.

4. To Stay Warm In The Cold

Feathers are great at keeping birds warm in colder environments.

You’ll often notice birds look fatter in the winter months, this is because they are fluffing up their feathers to trap extra heat within themselves for warmth.

Despite this most birds won’t be able to survive sub-zero temperatures. That’s why even if only for a limited time, being able to gather heat to journey to more bearable temperatures is possible as a result of feathers on their body.

5. To Camouflage In Their Terrain

Besides helping in attracting potential mates, the coloring of a birds feathers can be great for camouflaging within their local terrain. This can come in handy when trying to escape predatory birds or other animals, particularly for the smaller avians in the wild.

When hunting, the plumage will also allow birds to hide within foliage before jumping out in an attempt to hunt their prey, whether it be smaller rodents like frogs and insects. On the other hand if its a carnivorous bird of prey like a hawk, eagles, vultures etc, they would use their color coating as way to hide before going in for the hunt.

6. Protects Them From Injuries

As feathers are on the thicker side they can protect an avians body from injury. The stiffer feather on the wings can be very helpful in protecting themselves from extreme fall damage or from light scrapping on their bodies.

The occasional knock and bump shouldn’t cause too much of an issue for most avians as a result of their feathers.

7. To Intimidate Others

This doesn’t really apply to every bird out there but, for those that have an expansive wingspan that makes them look bigger and in turn more intimating it can prove a vital skill for survival in the wild

The wings and feathers can potentially be used as a defence mechanism against potential predators from taking action and actually hunting the avian lower on the food chain.

Although this ability isn’t a failsafe, it still can act like a lifeline if the aggression of the avian as well as the flaring of feathers are used in conjunction to intimidate the opposite hostile party.

Summary

Feathers aren’t simply there for show although that’s definitely one part of it. They can be coated and become water resistant, most birds have stiff feathers that allow them to fly, it allows them to stay warm, to intimidate other animals, prevent injuries and even camouflage into their environment to stray from the grasp of other predators.

Even flightless birds have a use for their feathers as it is essential for a number of the important functions as outlined in this post, other than flight of course.

References

https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/how-are-birds-feathers-waterproofed/#:~:text=Birds pick up oil on,coating, the feather is waterproof.