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Photographic gallery.  Thousands of particles under the microscope.

Feather barbules are of two types, pennaceous (making up the flight surface of the feather) and plumulaceous (insulation barbule). Plumulaceous barbules are the most useful for the idendification of the type of bird from which the barbule came, but the pennaceous barbules are also useful though generally not as specific as to the type of bird. A useful recent publication is that of Carla J. Dove and Sandra L. Koch: "Microscopy of feathers: a practical guide for forensic feather identification.",THE MICROSCOPE, VOL. 59, NO. 2, PP. 51-71 (2011).

If you are identifying a complete feather click here.

Flight Feather Barbule Under the Microscope Feather Barbule Under the Microscope Feather Barbule Under the Microscope Feather Barbule Under the Microscope Feather Barbule Under the Microscope Feather Barbule Under the Microscope Feather Barbule Under the Microscope Feather Barbule Under the Microscope Duck Down (Anatidae) Under the Microscope Duck Down (Anatidae) Under the Microscope Duck Down (Anatidae) Under the Microscope Duck Down (Anatidae) Under the Microscope

Eider Duck Down Barbules

Duck Down Under the Microscope Duck Down Under the Microscope Duck Down Under the Microscope

Mallard Duck (Anatidae)

Mallard Duck Down Under the Microscope Mallard Duck Down Under the Microscope Mallard Duck Down Under the Microscope Mallard Duck Down Under the Microscope Red Tail Hawk (buteoninae) Under the Microscope Hawk Barbule Under the Microscope Hawk Barbule Under the Microscope Band-Tailed Pigeon (Columbidae) Under the Microscope Band-Tailed Pigeon (Columbidae) Under the Microscope Band-Tailed Pigeon (Columbidae) Under the Microscope Band-Tailed Pigeon (Columbidae) Under the Microscope Band-Tailed Pigeon (Columbidae) Under the Microscope Rock Pigeon (Columbidae) Under the Microscope Rock Pigeon (Columbidae) Under the Microscope Sacred Dove (Columbidae) Under the Microscope Sacred Dove (Columbidae) Under the Microscope Stellar Jay (Corvidae) Under the Microscope Stellar Jay (Corvidae) Under the Microscope Stellar Jay (Corvidae) Under the Microscope Stellar Jay (Corvidae) Under the Microscope Stellar Jay (Corvidae) Under the Microscope Crow (Corvidae) Under the Microscope Crow (Corvidae) Under the Microscope House Finch (Fringilidae) Under the Microscope House Finch (Fringilidae) Under the Microscope House Finch (Fringilidae) Under the Microscope House Finch (Fringilidae) Under the Microscope House Finch (Fringilidae) Under the Microscope Chicken Down Chicken Down Chicken Down Peacock () Peacock () Pheasant (Phasianidae) Under the Microscope Pheasant (Phasianidae) Under the Microscope Pheasant (Phasianidae) Under the Microscope Pheasant (Phasianidae) Under the Microscope Pheasant (Phasianidae) Under the Microscope Parakeet (Psittacidae) Under the Microscope Parakeet (Psittacidae) Under the Microscope Parakeet (Psittacidae) Under the Microscope Cockatiel Hummingbird (Trochilidae) Under the Microscope Hummingbird (Trochilidae) Under the Microscope Hummingbird (Trochilidae) Under the Microscope Hummingbird (Trochilidae) Under the Microscope Hummingbird (Trochilidae) Under the Microscope Hummingbird (Trochilidae) Under the Microscope Hummingbird (Trochilidae) Under the Microscope Robin Basal Cell Villi Under the Microscope Robin (Turdidae) Feather Barbules Under the Microscope Robin (Turdidae) Feather Barbules Under the Microscope varied thrush (Turdidae) Under the Microscope varied thrush (Turdidae) Under the Microscope varied thrush (Turdidae) Under the Microscope varied thrush (Turdidae) Under the Microscope varied thrush (Turdidae) Under the Microscope varied thrush (Turdidae) Under the Microscope