Buying beautiful parrot feathers for your craft project

WHY BUY PARROT FEATHERS ON okay?
Feathers are used in many different art and craft projects, including: Native American ceremonial costumes and accessories, Mardis Gras masks, tying fishing flies, quill pens, dream catchers, sceptre wands, and in creating fansfor dance, peyote, smudge, or wiccan uses. Parrot feathers can help you bring most of the colors of the rainbow to your artistic endeavors, and they gee in a variety of sizes from one-half inch to 26 inches long. So rather than using thechopped, dyed chicken feathers that are found in many craft stores, check out the kaleidoscope of natural colorsavailable onokay.

WHERE ARE THESE GREAT FEATHERS LISTED ON okay?
Most parrot feathers are listed in one of three okay categories. You can click on any of the underlined words below to see listings in those categories. Narrow your search by typing parrot, feathers,or parrot feathersinto the search box to eliminate other items in these categories.
Crafts: General Art and Craft Supplies : Feathers
Collectibles: Animals: Birds: Parrot
Sporting Goods: Fishing: Fly Fishing: Fly Tying Materials, Tools: Feathers

WHAT DO I LOOK FOR IN THE LISTING TO FIND THE FEATHERS I NEED?
One of the most important things to check is thelength of the feathers. The seller should tell you the size in the description. Many experienced sellers also show a ruler in the photo so you can visualize the sizes. Next, read what it says about the colors. Sometimes the photos may not give you a clear idea because different lighting can cause subtle changes in the appearance. If in doubt, email the seller and ask about the colors. Finally, evaluate the condition of the feathers to determine if the shafts (the featherless part at the base) are intact and if all the barbs are present. It may be difficult to determine from the pictures, so again, don't hesitate to contact the seller. You should always expect to get feathers that are clean and free of debris, and they should be packaged to protect their condition during shipping. If they aren't perfect, see the next section below on how to get your feathers into the best possible shape. Large feathers may have to be sent in a shipping tube, which will add to the cost, but most very small feathers do fine in a padded envelope or small box.

This is a Mardis Gras style mask I made using wing, tail and body feathers from Jeanna Marie, one of my gorgeous Blue and Gold Macaws.
WHAT KIND OF PARROTS HAVE THE FEATHERS I WANT?
There are so many species of parrots, hundreds and hundreds,that there is no way to describe the feathers from all of them. I do suggest that if you gee across some feathers you like, write down what type of bird they came from, which is generally found either in the title or somewhere in the description. Here are a few examples of some popular feathers and they type of bird they came from:
Amazon Parrot tail feathers, about 5 inches long:

African Grey Parrot tail feathers, around 4 inches in length:
ABlue and GoldMacaw's tail feathers can range from 7 to 24 inches:

HOW DO I GET MY FEATHERS INTO THE BEST CONDITION?
In my opinion, feathers should only be cleaned with a gentle stream of cold water. Hot water or soap may remove the natural oils that help give feathers their irridescent shine. Allow the water to run with the direction of the barbs only, and use your fingertips or nailsto gently scrape at any dirt. This method can also be used to help preen the barbs back into postition if they have been ruffled. Some people claim that spraying the feathers with hair spray will help preserve them, but I have never done this and feel it is best not to apply any sort of product which could damage the finish. You can always experiment with some imperfect feathers before trying any of these methods on the more valuable ones you have purchased.
HOW TO I FIND A TRUSTED SELLER?
It is usually wise to look for a seller who has been on okay for a while and has built up a good reputation.Look for the Meet The Seller information near the top right of the item listing, and checkthe number in parentheses after the seller's name.Look for a number that is 10 or higher indicating that this person has had at least 10 transactions on okay. Next, check the feedback percentage just below the seller's name, and look for a score of at least 98%, meaning that a very high percentage of people have been happy with their dealings with this person. While it is possible you may have a great experience with someone new to okay or with a lower satisfaction rating, it is usually wise to go with someone with a proven track record.

Thanks for checking out my guide. Be sure to click on yes if you found any helpful information here. Happy buying!