Data from: Contributions of feather microstructure to eider down insulation properties ...

• Main Authors: D'Alba, Liliana, Carlsen, Thomas Holm, Ásgeirsson, Árni, Shawkey, Matthew D., Jonsson, Jon Einar
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Dryad 2017
• Subjects: Somateria mollissima; nest materials; down feathers; insulation properties; Common Eider
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.pg1p2; https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.pg1p2

Insulation is an essential component of nest structure that helps provide incubation requirements for birds. Many species of waterfowl breed in high latitudes where rapid heat loss can necessitate a high energetic input from parents and use down feathers to line their nests. Common eider Somateria mollissima nest down has exceptional insulating properties but the microstructural mechanisms behind the feather properties have not been thoroughly examined. Here, we hypothesized that insulating properties of nest down are correlated to down feather (plumule) microstructure. We tested the thermal efficiency (fill power) and cohesion of plumules from nests of two Icelandic colonies of wild common eiders and compared them to properties of plumules of wild greylag goose Anser anser. We then used electron microscopy to examine the morphological basis of feather insulating properties. We found that greylag goose down has higher fill power (i.e. traps more air) but much lower cohesion (i.e. less prone to stick ... : Data D'Alba et al. JAV 2017Data on feather microstructure and properties of eiderdown used in D'Alba et al. 2017 ...