A question about feathers.

[Cyia]

Yes, feathers.

Is there an actual word for individual strands of a bird's feather that are attached to the shaft? Veins doesn't sound right.

[Wayne K]

I think they're called barbs, or so my wife says.

[Cyia]

Thank you :)

[BillPatt]

Barbs is correct. Wikipedia has a good article on this

[Eirin]

Barbs, barbules, the rachis ... more than you ever wanted to know about feathers (http://www.earthlife.net/birds/feathers.html).