Swans have about 25,000 feathers on their bodies, most of them tiny, located around the head and neck. Large, elastic feathers on the wings – flight feathers, are needed for flight. Soft and fluffy – coverts, keep the bird warm. Under them are down feathers, they retain heat. Strong, long feathers that make up the bird’s tail are called tail feathers, they are designed for turns in flight.

Although individual feathers are very light, if you take the total weight of feathers throughout the body, they weigh surprisingly more than most people think. For example, in some species of birds, the total weight of feathers is more than twice the weight of the bones.

In order to swim in water and not get wet, a bird must constantly care for its feathers, keep them clean. To care for feathers, the bird uses a special fat gland located under its tail: taking a certain amount of fat, the bird lubricates the feathers with it. This allows them to maintain a well-groomed appearance and smooth feathers.