Feathers. Rufous hummingbird. Pine siskin.

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 3:05 am

First 4 are Rufous hummingbird, last one is from a Pine siskin.

Jacek · Post by **Jacek** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 5:36 am

You are unrivaled

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 6:35 am

Amazing detail. Also amazing that feathers are just modified hair.

naturephoto1 · Post by **naturephoto1** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 7:26 am

Charlie,

Beautiful images with tremendous detail.

Mitch640 wrote:Amazing detail. Also amazing that feathers are just modified hair.

Mitch,

I think that you meant modified scales.

Rich

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 7:33 am

I was taught that scales, feathers and hair are all modifications of the same thing, which all come from skin cells. Aren't they even made from the same stuff?

naturephoto1 · Post by **naturephoto1** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 7:45 am

Mitch640 wrote:I was taught that scales, feathers and hair are all modifications of the same thing, which all come from skin cells. Aren't they even made from the same stuff?

Hi Mitch,

Presuming the Paleontological record is correct, then birds evolved from reptiles (dinosaurs) and Archeopteryx is the first known bird.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feather

http://www.ornithology.com/Lectures/Feathers.html

Mammals also are thought to have evolved from reptiles, however they are of different origin than birds and as a result feathers could not have evolved from hair.

Rich

RogelioMoreno · Post by **RogelioMoreno** » Sat Mar 10, 2012 7:17 pm

Very nice pictures and details.

Rogelio

Cactusdave · Post by **Cactusdave** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 1:53 am

Very interesting, attractive and 'artistic'. You are in 'Spike Walker' country here.

Presumably this is polarisation with variable compensation?