The plumage of birds is one of nature's most fascinating inventions. In this book, the author provides an overview of the structure and function of feathers as well as the entire plumage. Individual chapters focus on different types of plumage, molting, feather parasites, and diseases. In addition to feather science, the author also introduces the study of feather collection, offering practical tips on where to find feathers and how to create a feather collection. A key for identifying the orders and families of European birds based on their feathers completes the book. Anyone interested in birds and their plumage will find this introduction to be the perfect starting point. The introduction to feather and collection studies corresponds in content to Volume 1 of the Handbook of Feather Science of European Birds and has been revised and supplemented with a chapter on further identification literature.