noun
- Plural of filoplume; fine, hair-like feathers found on birds, typically lacking a vane and serving a sensory function.
Usage: ornithology; technical
Examples
- The bird's filoplumes help it sense movement and maintain awareness of its surroundings.
- Ornithologists study filoplumes to understand how birds perceive their environment.
- Unlike contour feathers, filoplumes are thin and thread-like in appearance.
- The filoplumes on a chicken's neck are barely visible to the naked eye.
- Birds use filoplumes as sensory organs to detect air currents and vibrations.