Bird tails

A bird's tail consists of a tailbone, flight feathers and a layer of feathers at the tail’s base.

The tailbone is actually six fused vertebrae, called the

pygostyle, that supports the tail feathers, which are called rectrices.

• Rump muscles control both tailbone and tail feathers.

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Tail feathers are arranged in overlapping pairs,

allowing a bird to open and close its tail like a person using a hand-held folding fan.

• Birds typically have 10-12 tail feathers equally divided on each side of the tail.