I picked up a pretty feather on the ground today. On one side it was yellow with a hint of black underneath. On the other side the rib was bright yellow but the "featherings" attached to it were black.

I say "featherings" because I don't know the proper word. Can anyone help?

Feathers & such

A word of caution ==> Those who work in factories producing winterwear and sleeping bags filled with tiny feathers must guard against becoming paralyzed from the waste down.

Shufitz, from your detailed description I'm quite sure that what you have there is a tail feather from a high-flying double-breasted seersucker. A rare bird indeed in Chicago, at this season.

Jerry, from your wonderful Web site (they have a Web site for everything! ), I guess the answer to the question is "fluff."