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Primary Flight Feathers

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Primary Flight Feathers

The primary flight feathers, in many species, are the first 10 feathers on the tips of the wings.

(c) 2006 Alyson Burgess licensed to About.com, Inc.
Definition: The primary flight feathers are the longest 10 feathers on each of a bird's wings, in the majority of species. These feathers act as a sort of propeller for birds in flight.

The primary flight feathers are the feathers that are normally trimmed when you clip a pet bird's wings. This keeps the bird from being able to gain height when it attempts to fly.

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