Doves have notoriously poorly attached feathers, almost surely functioning
to shed a potential predator when captured. If you ever handle one, you'll
note that the feathers are rather different from those of most birds, with
very thick shafts outside the skin, perhaps to make them easily pulled out.
I've taken doves out of mist nets on numerous occasions, and you usually
feel just awful because the bird leaves so many feathers behind. It's an
adaptation, not poor design, I think.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416