Have you ever watched a duck float on a pond in the pouring rain and wondered why it doesn’t get soaked? Birds have a secret weapon: a built-in oil supply that keeps their feathers completely waterproof. In this quick experiment, you’ll see exactly how it works using paper feathers and cooking oil.
Materials
- Construction paper (any color)
- Scissors
- Cooking oil (vegetable, olive, or canola)
- A sponge or water dropper
- Water
- Paper towels (for cleanup)
Steps
- Cut out two feather shapes. Draw feather outlines on construction paper and cut them out. Make them roughly the same size and shape.
- Oil one feather. Rub a small amount of cooking oil onto one paper feather, front and back. Use your fingers to spread it evenly and let it soak in for a minute.
- Leave the other feather dry. Don’t add anything to the second feather. This is your control.
- Test with water. Squeeze water drops onto the dry feather. Tilt it and watch what happens. The water soaks right into the paper, making it soggy and limp.
- Test the oiled feather. Squeeze the same amount of water onto the oiled feather. Tilt it. The water beads up and rolls right off, just like raindrops on a duck’s back.
Grownup help needed: Younger kids may need help cutting the feather shapes. The oil can be a little messy, so do this activity on a table covered with paper towels or newspaper.
