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How to Preserve Pheasant Feathers

Feathers, though beautiful, are a very delicate piece of nature. After they are removed from the bird, feathers are at the mercy of nature's elements and will deteriorate if not cared for properly. Feather owners must take a number of preventative measures in order to preserve their feather collection, including protecting them from excessive handling, bugs, dust, light and the natural acidity in the air. With careful preparation, however, feathers can and will last for years.

Things You'll Need

Soft natural-bristled brush
pH-neutral storage container

Instructions

- 1
  Hold the base of the feather in the tip of your fingers. Avoid any unnecessary handling of the feather, as this could lead to irreparable damage.
- 2
  Support the feather from the back and brush the feather with the soft natural bristled brush in the direction of the feather vane to remove and excess dust.
- 3
  Place the feather in a dark, dry, pH-neutral storage container. Excessive light, acidity and humidity can damage feathers. A pH-neutral storage containers is a specially made container that has no acid or lignin (a natural occurring acid found in wood) in it. These can be purchased at any archival supply store. If you wish to test the pH of a storage container, a pH detector pen that changes colors when acidity is present can be purchased at an archival supply store. Simply mark the container with the pen, and check the color that appears against the color gauge that came with it.
- 4
  Inspect the condition of the feathers (without touching them) every couple of weeks. Clean them with the soft natural bristled-brush if necessary.

Animals & Science