WING FEATHERS      

     This is a picture of a Black Shouldered Peacock.  Notice his wing feathers.  His wing feathers are black with but iridescent blues and greens.  The spectacular feathers from this particular species of peafowl are my main wing feathers.  They are used for many things.  There is a call for them in native crafts.  Millinery uses also come to mind.  Many crafts are adorned with them. 

     Flight feathers are on the wings.  The first feathers on the tip of an outstreached wing are called primaries.  On this specie, the primaries are cinnamon or rust colored.  Notice this on the lower part of the wing on this bird.  Compare a human hand and arm to a wing; The fingers of the hand would be the primary feathers.  These are flat on one edge and rounding to the pointed tip. 

      The next sets of feathers are called secondaries.  On the Black Shoulder shown, these are black and often  greenish tinged.  They follow the primaries on the wing.  These feathers are round tipped.  The longest feathers on the wing are at the bottom of the wing or on the side folded to the body.  

      The feathers on the wing are greatly varied in size.  The closer to the web they get the smaller they are.  The web could be compared to the human inner arm, but with elbow bending the opposite direction.  Some of the tiniest gems on the wing web are only 1/2" long.  They are also iridescent as are most of these wing feathers.  I have found the feathers most visible to the eye are iridescent.  Those under the top layer may indeed be solid black.

This is a picture of an India Blue Peacock, the most common color.  Notice his wing colors.  His wing feathers are mottled.  This particular bird has black primaries.  This is a young male and his colors may change as he ages.  For now, his wing feathers are mottled.  This is a color pattern often described as striped, barred, lined, etc.  It has barring alternating tan or cream and black or dark brown.  This feather is often described as being from a hawk or eagle.  If described so, they are a simulation, mock or mimic and not really from endangered raptors.

HEAD, NECK, AND CHEST FEATHERS

These feathers I often call lil blues or little blue.  They range from 1/2" to 3".  Lil blues are found from the beak to the chest on peacocks.  This is one of my most popular feathers.  Persons making doll dresses use them.  I myself have used them on a hat band.  They are decorative and fillers for many arts, crafts and projects.

GREEN/GOLD SHELL

Green/gold shell feathers are on the male peafowl backs.  They are placed from wing to wing below the lil blues of the neck.  Below the back from these little feathers are the eye feathers of the tail.

     Shell feathers have a popularity of their own in the feather business.  These little feathers range from 2" to 3".  On occasion there will be a striking resemblance in the center of the shell that mocks the eye feathers further down the tail.  On my straw hat these were on the band also... before the big center eye feather.

     I have never seen these beauties in dream catchers.  Maybe they are saved for special items.   I have seen them glued on many projects and sewn  to as many more.  The uses are endless for this Feather type.

FLUFFS *PUFFS* POOF* MARABOO

These are some of the descriptive words used for these feathers.  They are so incredibly soft!  Where do they come from you wonder?  They are the downy soft feathers on a bird's tummy or under rump.  They range from 1" to possibly 7" on peafowl.  White birds have white fluff.  The darker colors have the darker down.  The Black Shouler Peahen is white with black blotches on her feathers.  The down of these hens are white.  Her male counterpart is a dark bird and has the darkest down.  These feathers are so soft and fluffy they feel like tufts of hair, but are feathers.