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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.

2094

species

8434

specimens

20805

images

140237

measurements
(5900 specimens)

1220

labels
(50 specimens)

recent changes

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 12648 inside Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis)

16.07.2026

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 12180 inside Common scoter (Melanitta nigra)

01.07.2026

Mizue Erika Inumaru created the specimen 12859 in Narcissus Flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina) for Shota Masubuchi

30.06.2026

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 12631 inside Red-eared Parrotfinch (Erythrura coloria)

28.06.2026

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 12633 inside Socorro Dove (Zenaida graysoni)

24.06.2026

Ryota Shinya created the specimen 12857 in Black-breasted Thrush (Turdus hortulorum) for Suzuho Kihara

23.06.2026

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 12636 inside Sun Parakeet (Aratinga solstitialis)

23.06.2026

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 12629 inside Scarlet-breasted Lorikeet (Trichoglossus forsteni)

20.06.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12839 in Green Woodhoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus)

16.06.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12838 in Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis)

16.06.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12837 in White-crested Laughingthrush (Garrulax leucolophus)

16.06.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12836 in Siamese Fireback (Lophura diardi)

16.06.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12835 in Bearded Barbet (Pogonornis dubius)

16.06.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12834 in Iberian Magpie (Cyanopica cooki)

16.06.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12833 in White-cheeked Turaco (Tauraco leucotis)

16.06.2026

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 12642 inside Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

12.06.2026

Alexander Haase uploaded a new image to 3912 inside Red-fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys)

09.06.2026

Benjamin Großheide uploaded a new image to 12644 inside Long-tailed Glossy-Starling (Lamprotornis caudatus)

08.06.2026

Alexander Haase created the specimen 12827 in Inca Dove (Columbina inca)

08.06.2026

Benjamin Großheide created the specimen 12826 in Red-winged Parrot (Aprosmictus erythropterus)

07.06.2026

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