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Since the 20th century, scientific ornithology has been closely linked to the conservation of birds. The study of feathers is a factor that is often overlooked. In museums, the majority of their bird skin collections are archived, stored away in drawers under lock and key and only ever seen by a very selective audience and not the general public.

You only love what you know, and you only protect what you love.

Konrad Lorenz

Being able to touch, feel and study a feather in the hand engages people, especially children, with nature; what child hasn’t stopped to pick up a feather in a park or their backyard and marvel at it, and wonder what bird it came from. From a long, slender Arctic Tern primary, which has undertaken an incredible migratory journey of around 37.000 miles / 60.000 kilometers from pole to pole, to the soft, downy feather of a Barn Owl, helping the bird to fly on silent wings as it hunts at night; every feather has a fascinating story to tell, each so unique in its makeup, shape, form, texture, color and function it serves to the bird. Feathers can teach us so much about birds and how they live. They bring people closer to the natural world – and therefore play an important role in its preservation.

Featherbase is a working group of German feather scientists and other collectors worldwide who came together with their personal collections and created the biggest and most comprehensive online feather library in the world. Using our website, it is possible to identify feathers from hundreds of different species, compare similarities between them, work out gender or age-specific characteristics and look at the statistics of countless feather measurements. In contrast to the conventional work of museums, Featherbase is much more oriented towards the general public, allowing not just enrolled scientists the opportunity to gain access to the collection, but anyone with an interest in studying birds and their feathers. Featherbase also frequently collaborates with scientific or educational organizations by offering images, data or teamwork in general.

Featherbase works completely independently, without administrative affiliation, and first and foremost without commercial interests. We are a non-profit making entity and funded entirely by our own contributors. The collecting of feathers and skins for our database is approved by the relevant authorities, and for any protected/CITES listed species held, we are fastidious about maintaining records of their origin.

2115

species

8415

specimens

20216

images

132174

measurements
(5549 specimens)

1096

labels
(46 specimens)

recent changes

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 12152 inside Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)

04.03.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12418 in Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea) for Wolf-Dieter Busching

03.03.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12417 in Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini) for Wolf-Dieter Busching

03.03.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12416 in Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea) for Wolf-Dieter Busching

03.03.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12415 in Ross's Gull (Rhodostethia rosea) for Wolf-Dieter Busching

03.03.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12414 in Boreal Owl / Tengmalm (Aegolius funereus)

03.03.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12413 in Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica)

03.03.2026

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 12194 inside Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)

03.03.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12412 in Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

02.03.2026

Ryota Shinya created the specimen 12408 in Cinnamon Bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus)

28.02.2026

Ryota Shinya created the specimen 12407 in Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)

28.02.2026

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 12158 inside Mew Gull (Larus canus)

28.02.2026

Thomas Hochebner created the specimen 12397 in Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus)

25.02.2026

Thomas Hochebner created the specimen 12396 in Grey-faced Woodpecker (Picus canus)

25.02.2026

Thomas Hochebner created the specimen 12395 in Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

25.02.2026

Thomas Hochebner created the specimen 12394 in European Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

25.02.2026

Thomas Hochebner created the specimen 12393 in Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

25.02.2026

Thomas Hochebner created the specimen 12392 in Redwing (Turdus iliacus)

25.02.2026

Thomas Hochebner created the specimen 12391 in Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)

25.02.2026

Thomas Hochebner created the specimen 12389 in European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

25.02.2026

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