does a bird need the feathers on it’s chest to fly as well?
I know it’s sort of a stupid question, but it’s something I’ve been wondering. does a bird need it’s chest feathers to be able to fly or are they there just to keep it warm in flight
Only the feathers on a birds tail and wing play a role in flight. All the feathers including the chest feathers are used to insulate birds from cold and warm temperature.
Some birds have a supply of powder down feathers which grow continuously, with small particles regularly breaking off from the ends of the barbules. These particles produce a powder that sifts through the feathers on the bird’s body and acts as a waterproofing agent and a feather conditioner.
Barbules: A minute filament projecting from the barb of a feather
When Feathers Fly