At first glance, the Great Argus is a
quiet, foraging, pheasant-like bird from the Phasianidae family — until mating
season. The wing feathers are the crown jewel of the Argus’s plumage. In an
elaborate mating dance, the male Argus fans its wings toward the female, creating
a conical display of spots. (Robert Clark)
If you were to pick up a spotted
eagle-owl’s feather, you might think it doesn’t look like anything special. It
has an uneven, coffee-brown color and white patches. The leading edge is a row
of stunted barbs; on the other side the delicate tendrils wisp away.
But this unassuming tattered edge makes
for one of the most fascinating feathers in the world. Although the design
creates drag, it can also muffle the sound of the bird’s approach to prey
before it swiftly folds its talons around an unsuspecting mouse or insect.
Photographer Robert Clark’s new book, “Feathers:
Displays of Brilliant Plumage” (Chronicle Books, 2016), reveals
feathers like this one as the works of art and engineering that they are. It’s
no wonder that human biomimicry of birds and their wings has become such an
important part of our lives.
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