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Blood Feather

By , About.com Guide

Definition: A Blood Feather is any feather that is still connected to a bird's circulatory system. As a new feather grows, it is nourished through a bird's blood supply via a very thin vein that runs through its shaft.

If a blood feather's shaft becomes broken, the remaining shaft must be completely removed from the follicle to stop the bleeding.
Alternate Spellings: Bloodfeather
Examples:
My parrot broke a blood feather and had to have it removed.

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