In October 2022, a Bar-tailed Godwit nicknamed B6 achieved a monumental feat, flying 8,425 miles from Alaska to Tasmania in just 11 days without stopping. This impressive journey, equivalent to a nonstop flight of the Boeing 777, showcased the extraordinary athleticism of this small bird. The secret to its success lay in the feather’s incredible properties, which provided insulation, repelled rain, and formed essential flight surfaces. Recent research has revealed surprising new insights into the evolution and aerodynamics of feathers, challenging previous assumptions about asymmetry and flight capacity. Feathers have proven to be highly adaptable structures, with unique adaptations found in birds such as owls, penguins, and hummingbirds.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-feathers-are-one-of-evolutions-cleverest-inventions/