27 Tail feathers Birds use their tail feathers to steer during flight, to balance when perched or on the ground, or to help the male attract a mate. A curled tail The male mallard has two distinctive curled feathers at the base of its tail. The female’s tail is straight. Eyed feathers The “eyes” on the male peacock’s tail make a splendid courtship display. Diet The light bars – called fault bars – in this parrot’s feather were due to changes in its diet as the feather was growing. Young and old Here, a growing kestrel’s feather is shown beside a fully grown one. Central feather This symmetrical owl feather is from the centre of the tail. Bred for colour The varied colours of budgerigars are the result of controlled breeding. Iridescent tails Magpies have iridescent tail feath ers that look black from a distance. Long tails The tails of male game birds like pheasants can be exceptionally long. A Japanese red jungle-fowl’s tail can reach up to 10.5 m (35 ft). Outer tail feathers The feathers furthest from the tail’s centre are less symmetrical, giving the tail a curved bar. The feathers shown below are from a curlew. Mature feather Growing feather Feather sheath Quill Pheasant