A junior school project collecting feathers of different types from a common pheasant - Phasianus colchicus. While not exhaustive they include tail, flight, contour, semi-plume and down. The variety is very wide and the job they perform quite different. Tail and flight feathers are pennaceous, rigid, shaping and load bearing. The down and semi plumes, called plumulaceous, lie beneath the contour body feathers and provide a protective and body smoothing layer. These feathers retain body warmth. The contour feathers combine both pennaceous and plumulaceous types and are found on the body and wings.