Birds are endothermic vertebrates, that is, warm-blooded, whose main characteristic is the presence of feathers that cover their bodies. These have different shapes depending on where they are located on the body, as well as a different structure that will depend on the time of the bird's life. There are species that at birth lack feathers, others that are born with a few down covering the body and some already have a good cover of feathers that protect their body. But really Are there birds without feathers?
If you want to know this and other peculiarities of birds, continue reading this article on our site and you will find out if all birds have feathers or not.
Do birds exist without feathers?
Feathers, like the hair of mammals, perform various functions, including thermoregulation and protection, allowing them to fly and, during the reproductive season, carry out courtships. It also makes it easier for them to recognize individuals of the same species and, on the other hand, allows them to camouflage themselves against predators.
On the body of birds, feathers are distributed and grow in specific areas (pterylum or feathery areas) and are interspersed with areas where they do not grow, called apteryles. So there are several types of feathers and they are present in all birds, so there are no species that naturally lack them in adulthood completely. Adults shed their plumage at least once a year, that is, they lose and replace some or all of their feathers, usually after the breeding season.
There are species that may lack some feathers on the head, for example. In other birds, males do not have chest feathers and are "naked" to exhibit a very bright color and thus attract females during the breeding season. In the case of other birds, they lose the feathers of the ventral area to incubate the eggs; this region is called the "incubation patch" and is well supplied with blood vessels. Here the epidermis is very thin and the fat disappears, which makes it possible for the birds to better transfer heat to their eggs while incubating.
In this other article we show you a list of Animals with feathers - List with names and curiosities.
Examples of birds without feathers
As we mentioned, birds naturally have feathers covering their body and, in some cases, naturally or due to some condition, they may lack them in some region of the body. Also, there are some birds that have feathers very similar to hairs, which leads to a belief that they lack them. Let's look at some examples:
Kiwi (Apteryx)
The kiwi (birds of the genus Apteryx) is a non-flying bird that has very little development of its wings and they are almost negligible. This is an example of a bird that was often thought to have no feathers, but in reality it is small feathers that did not develop for evolutionary reasons and of adaptation to the ecosystem where they live, which gives them the appearance of bristles. They are brown in color, with different shades depending on the species in question.
Vultures
Some species of vultures (of the order Cathartiformes), such as the buzzard vulture, do not have feathers on their heads This is due to the adaptation to the type of food they have, since they are scavenger birds, that is, they feed on the remains of dead animals, and a head with feathers would be constantly stained with blood and other fluids during feeding and would be difficult to keep clean.
You may also be interested in What resources does a vulture need to live.
Turkeys
Another bird without feathers are the species of the Phasianidae family, such as turkeys, which also do not have feathers on the head and neck, like some storks (family Ciconiidae) that also lack feathers on their heads and necks.
In this other article we explain where the peacock lives.
Bulbul Caripelado
On the other hand, the Pycnonotus hualon or caripellated bulbul, is an Asian songbird and native to Laos that has abald face , that is, without feathers, and that was discovered by science a few years ago.
Frigate
Other birds of the genus Fregata, such as Fregata magnificens, do not have feathers in the gular area (of the neck), and instead exhibit a gular pouch with a bright and striking red color that it inflates during courtship rituals.
Birds without feathers for other reasons
In other cases, birds may lack feathers because of:
- Viral diseases: such as the one that affects psittaciform birds (parrots, cockatoos and the like), such as the so-called beak disease and the feathers, caused by a virus that attacks the growth cells of the feathers and causes their malformation and necrosis, so they do not develop normally and the bird loses them.
- Abnormalities in the development of the feathers: also birds bred in captivity can present anomalies in the development of the feathers, this can be due to inadequate housing, infections by ecto and endoparasites such as some mites, lice or fleas that can chew the feathers and cause them to fall. These ectoparasites not only cause damage to their skin and plumage, but also progressively weaken their he alth, and can even cause anemia and respiratory problems if they are not treated in time.
- Behavioral disorders: bacterial infections, metabolic diseases such as hypothyroidism, allergies to some foods, toxins that may be present in the environment or behavioral disturbances, such as excessive grooming, called bird itch caused by stress and/or anxiety. At this point you may also be interested in My parrot plucks its feathers - Causes and solutions.
- Follicular cyst: it is a congenital disease and also causes the feathers not to grow normally, but instead grow inwards, being more birds with more abundant plumage are prone.
- Chrysanthemum disease: Another congenital disease is chrysanthemum disease, which causes feathers to suddenly stop growing. This is due to problems in the regulation of body temperature, which leads to physiological imbalances.
- Altricial offspring: in the case of species with altricial offspring (offspring that are born without full development and depend entirely on their parents), at the time of hatching from the egg they do not have feathers to protect them or they may have vestiges of them. As the chick develops, the feathers become present some time before leaving the nest.
In all these cases (except for the altricial pups), through clinical examinations carried out by a veterinarian, it is possible to diagnosis and control of the condition.
