Down feathers insulate: king eider

1 of 3 King eider / Ómar Runól.. / License

The down feathers of eider ducks provide insulation due to lack of barbules and ability to fluff.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Maintain physical integrity >
	Protect from abiotic factors >
	Temperature

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Insulation for buildings Fabrics that mimic the fluffiness and packability of down Reusable packaging that can expand or contract based on contents

> Visit strategy page

[Collapse all sections] Summary

"The down feathers are small, with a short shaft and no hooked barbules, so the barbs to not interlock but fluff out in different directions. They can also be packed into a small space and re-expand afterwards to their original fluffiness. Down is the covering of small chicks and other nestlings, and provides excellent insulation, as anyone with a down-filled quilt can testify. The down of the eider duck has become synonymous with the best type of quilt. When the female eider duck nests in the cold springtime of its home in Scandinavia, she pulls tufts of thick down from beneath the contour feathers on her breast, and uses the down to make a thick. warm lining for her nest…Down is extremely light, making it ideal for cold-climate clothing and equipment: down-filled suits and sleeping bags have revolutionized mountaineering and polar exploration." (Foy and Oxford Scientific Films 1982:109)

"One of the warmest nests in the world, the eider duck's nest is lined with soft down from the female eider duck's breast. Eider ducks nest on tundra-covered islands in the arctic, so it is not surprising that they have developed the warmest known down. When they hatch, the chicks already have their own eiderdown coats." (Foy and Oxford Scientific Films 1982:111)

About the inspiring organism

King Eider
Somateria spectabilis (Linnaeus, 1758)
[King eider]

IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern
Habitat(s): Marine Neritic

Some organism data provided by: ITIS: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Insulation for buildings, fabrics that mimic the fluffiness and packability of down, reusable packaging that can expand or contract based on contents.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Building, textiles, packaging

Experts

Centre for Biomimetics
George Jeronimidis Richard Bonser
University of Reading

References

Foy, Sally; Oxford Scientific Films. 1982. The Grand Design: Form and Colour in Animals. Lingfield, Surrey, U.K.: BLA Publishing Limited for J.M.Dent & Sons Ltd, Aldine House, London. 238 p.

Content tools

Curator of this page

ozkanyapar
Occupation: Business Consultant
Location: Tampere, Finland

Ask ozkanyapar a question >

Comments

Be the first to comment on this strategy.