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Using a small HEPA-filtered vacuum allows conservators to clean off dust and other particulate debris that is not embedded onto the feather. This method cannot be done by conservators when dealing with fragile feathers due to the likelihood of damage. [31] Flat sable paintbrushes can also be used to remove light dust or dirt from feathered objects.
However, solvents may be needed to clean feathers if dust is held in place by grease, which can leach out of skins. Distilled water may be used if dry methods fail, but more stubborn dust may need to be cleaned with non-denatured 70% ethanol. However, solvents may strip natural oils in feathers and leave them brittle. [10]
The eastern spot-billed duck is darker and browner than the Indian spot-billed duck; its body plumage is more similar to the Pacific black duck. It lacks the red bill spot, and has a blue speculum. [14] [15] Both males and females undergo a complete postnuptial moult, dropping all their wing feathers simultaneously. [14]
Paraffin wax (or petroleum wax) is a soft colorless solid derived from petroleum, coal, or oil shale that consists of a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules containing between 20 and 40 carbon atoms. It is solid at room temperature and begins to melt above approximately 37 °C (99 °F), [ 2 ] and its boiling point is above 370 °C (698 °F). [ 2 ]
Preening is a maintenance behaviour found in birds that involves the use of the beak to position feathers, interlock feather barbules that have become separated, clean plumage, and keep ectoparasites in check. Feathers contribute significantly to a bird's insulation, waterproofing and aerodynamic flight, and so are vital to its survival ...
The Cayuga is a medium to heavy duck; standard weights are 3.6 kg (8 lb) for adult drakes and 3.2 kg (7 lb) for ducks. [11]: 440 [12]: 412 The plumage is black with iridescent beetle-green lights; particularly in ducks, some feathers may fade or whiten as the bird ages, which can be a disqualifying fault for showing.
A pouch created using waxed cotton. Waxed cotton is cotton impregnated with a paraffin or natural beeswax based wax, woven into or applied to the cloth. [1] [2] Popular from the 1920s to the mid-1950s, the product, which developed from the sailing industry in England and Scotland, became commonly used for waterproofing.
When they shed feathers to go into an eclipse, the ducks become flightless for a short period. Some duck species remain in eclipse for one to three months in the late summer and early fall, while others retain the cryptic plumage until the next spring when they undergo another moult to return to their breeding plumage.