Venue: The Tribe Location: 21 Foley St, Darlinghurst 20 Oct - 12 Nov, 2017 Web:https://thetribeco.com.au
Light as a Feather explores the science of feathers, how they get their colour, the marvel of flight, and their uniqueness. A new direction of work for nature photographer Angela Robertson-Buchanan who has photographed intricate feathers with a macro lens and graphic designers Eggpicnic who have explored birds in flight. This exhibition is especially for BirdLife Australia's National bird week, with 20% of sales donated to them.
Regent Parrot Wing, Contour, Semiplume & Tail feathers. The Regent Parrot has two separate populations separated by the Nullarbor Plain: one in the Mallee regions of eastern Australia, and the other in the Wheatbelt region of southern Western Australia. Eastern populations are endangered, while the western population is thought to be increasing.
The Science of Feathers
Each feather on a bird’s body is a perfected structure, they not only provide flight, but provide insulation, waterproofing, camouflage and display.
Semiplume Scarlet-chested Parrot Feather Semiplumes are hidden beneath other feathers on the bird’s body and have a loose structure that helps the bird stay warm. The Scarlet-chested Parrot, which inhabits arid and semi-arid parts of southern Australia, is one of our most poorly understood species of parrots. The reason for this is that they seldom occur regularly at any particular site. Instead, they briefly turn up here and there, and then disappear, seemingly without a trace. Their conservation status is rare in South Australia, Vulnerable in NSW and secure in Western Australia
Different types of feathers
Semiplume Feathers are hidden beneath other feathers on the bird’s body and have a loose structure that helps the bird stay warm.
Contour feathers are what you see covering the bird’s body. The interlocking colourful region is structured to help keep the bird dry. The bottom third of the feather is the downy section that traps heat.
Wing feathers have a branched structure that interlocks like Velcro to create a uniform windproof surface that allows lift in flight. The main wing feathers are typically asymmetrical with a shorter leading edge for improved aerodynamics
Tail feathers feature a branched structure that interlocks like Velcro to create a uniform surface helping birds to steer in flight.
Down Feather has a loosely branching structure which allows birds to trap body heat and stay warm, normally found beneath the semiplume feathers.
Rainbow Lorikeet Wing, Contour & Tail feathers. The Rainbow Lorikeet occurs in coastal regions across northern and eastern Australia, with a local population in Perth (Western Australia) and Tasmania, initiated from aviary releases. In last year’s Australian Bird Count, the Rainbow Lorikeet was the most counted bird so made number 1!Ibis Tail Feathers, study 1 Each feather marking is unique to each individual bird, a bit like our finger tips. Under analysis, scientists can tell how old the feather is (by unique stress lines and patterns, a bit like tree rings) and what environmental exposures they have been subjected to. Due to habitat clearance, some Australian White Ibis populations have learnt to exploit artificial foods in urban environments and are becoming perceived as pests. However, although Australian White Ibises are becoming more common in some urban areas, their abundance is decreasing in their natural range.Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Tail Feathers. Tail feathers feature a branched structure that interlocks like Velcro to create a uniform surface helping birds to steer in flight.Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo in Flight.Immature Male Superb Fairy Wren moulting into breeding plumage. Male Fairy-wrens moult into their breeding plumage (blue tail, head, body) each breeding season. Immature males will moult into breeding plumage the first breeding season after hatching, but it will be incomplete and take 2/3 years to perfect. The tail feathers are an important feature of a Fairy-Wren as they are usually held upright and assist with balance when they hop and bounce! Tail feathers are what steers a bird in flight.
Melbourne: Until March 2027. Rehearsing the City presents archival photographs from Victoria’s government collections, alongside new work by contemporary street photographers.
Sydney: Until 7 Feb 2027. From his archive of more than 200,000 images, Close Up celebrates the historic moments and pivotal people he famously captured.
Canberra: Until 6 Sept 2026. Trent Parke’s photographic series The Christmas tree bucket 2006–09 is a tender and darkly humorous portrayal of his extended family coming together to celebrate Christmas.
Brisbane: until 18 October 2026. Known affectionately as the ‘Cool Cat of journalism’ Wayne moved effortlessly among the greats, between the media and community, treating every encounter as part of his day’s work behind the lens.
Melbourne: Until 30 September 2026. Melbourne photographer Stefanie Wendler-Canning is inviting visitors to see one of the garden's most familiar flowers from an entirely different perspective in her new exhibition.
Melbourne: Until 15 November 2026. This exhibition will present the most comprehensive survey of the work of the eminent Hungarian-born, French photographer Brassaï yet to be seen in Australia.
Sydney: Until 13 September 2026. Devotion is an ongoing series by Sly Morikawa documenting Sanja Matsuri, the annual Shinto festival held in Tokyo’s Asakusa district.
Brisbane: Until 1 November 2026. The finalist exhibition of the 2026 Lord Mayor’s Photographic Awards brings together striking photographic works that capture the city’s spirit — from familiar streets and riverside scenes to the fleeting moments, routines and characters that make Brisbane feel like home.
Sydney: 24 August 2026 – 18 July 2027. Featuring almost 200 images and original prints personally selected by Dupain for magazine and book publishers, the exhibition reveals the extraordinary breadth of his work.
Sydney: Until 13 September 2026. Olive Cotton is one of Australia's great modern photographers. For the first time, her workd is being exhibited alongside photographs by some of the most celebrated figures in international photography, including Ilse Bing, Dora Marr and Lucia Moholy.
