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When you are strolling through the nature with open eyes, you will find feathers as so called moulting feathers (moult: birds are renewing/changing their feathers regulary) or a tear (from killed birds by birds of prey).
Books to identify birds, nests and eggs have been available for a long time. The last Kosmos Nature [Jon92] guide integrates the aspect of feathers in order to identify birds. Especially the last feathers guide book Tracks and signs of the birds of Britain and Europe [BFLL93] is of good quality. But the Internet presents good opportunity to publish a lot of pictures/illustrations with modest expense in a short period of time. We want to share our enthusiasm for the beauty of feathers, the colours and the shapes.
Phil has been collecting feathers since the age of eleven. His first feathers, from a common buzzard, were a present from his cousin. Unfortunately his mother threw the feathers away, as they didn't seem clean. Now Phil had to go to search for feathers by himself, starting in the area. His passion grows, he wants to build the biggest collection on the earth. In the seventies, when Phil started, there was only one book on the subject; Gewöll-und Rupfungskunde (the science of pellets and pluck) [Mae]. So Phil has to do his observations out in the open, in the natural history museums, the zoos, from pictures and normal birdguides (Parey). While Phil is getting older, he loses his interest in just collecting feathers. He wants to know more about birds, their habitats, their interactions with the humans. On Phil's first excursion as a guide he comes across Agi. They arrange a feathersmeeting - a meeting for enthusiasts to share their passion and collections. Phil soon rediscovers his passion for feathers.
As a child Agi learnt a lot about feathers and their position on the plumage watching her own budgerigars. She liked to draw birds. As a teenager, Agi lost her interest in feathers. After quite a long time Agi rediscovered her passion for feathers. In her free time, she starts taking walks, the eyes always open to feathers. Occasionally, Agi also takes such trips in western Africa, especially the Gambia. Before Agi had the book Tracks and signs of the birds of Britain and Europe [BFLL93] she was trying to identify the feathers by carefully watching the nature. But to each feather there is a matching bird! As soon as Agi identifies the feather, she paints the bird in watercolours. This is wonderful for Agi, but she is insecure. Is her hobby a bit strange? Most of the ornithologists are not really interested in feathers. Fortunately Agi met Phil, who was a guide on an excursion, where he introduced the nightingale (among others) to Agi. Later Agi and Phil start talking about feathers...
We want to present the link between the ornithology and the aesthetic aspect to the feathers. We want to cover different needs, on each page you'll find a drawing of the bird as well as scanned images of its feathers.
We want to thank the following:
Jacques, infected by the virus of feathers too, is supporting us as a XML-specialist to maintain the website.
Gürkan and Tom are specialists for free software. They support our idea, therefore they are helping with the server infrastructure of the the website.
Henry was collecting feathers enthusiastically in the Gambia.
Srdjan from Serbia, who gave us feathers as a present from his extensive collection.
Max who helped us translating the web site in English.
Our mothers for their support.
All the people who were helping us with finding and identifying feathers.
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