Feather These barbules have minute hooks called barbicels for cross-attachment. Down feathers are fluffy because they lack barbicels, so the barbules float free of each other, allowing the down to trap air and provide excellent thermal insulation. At the base of the feather, the rachis expands to form the hollow tubular "calamus" (or quill) which inserts into a follicle in the skin. The basal part of the calamus is without vanes. This part is embedded within the skin follicle and has an opening at the base (proximal umbilicus) and a small opening on the side (distal umbilicus). Hatchling birds of some
What Bird is That? Edition What Bird is That?" was published by Australia's Heritage Publishing in 2011, the latest release of Cayley’s “big bird book” complete with Lindsey’s revisions. It is 832 pages, features 769 birds and includes all 460 of Cayley’s full-colour paintings, many showing groups of related birds. New to this edition was an accompanying e-book "What Bird Call is That?", which identifies and illustrates 101 birds from "What Bird is That?", as well as providing sound files of each featured bird’s distinctive call. The sound files were provided by David Stewart. "What Bird is That?" plays a central role in Australian