Feathered Ball

Shuttlecock was the original name of the game of Badminton.

- Sujatha Gourishankar

These days, shuttlecock refers to the cone that is used as a ball by players. It is also called a ‘bird’ or ‘birdie’.

The shuttlecock is in the shape of an open cone. It has 16 or so feathers, which overlap each other. The feathers are embedded into a rounded cork base. The cork is covered with thin leather. The feathers are either goose or duck feathers. To make the shuttlecock rotate properly, only feathers which are perfect are used. The shuttlecock is aerodynamically stable. Regardless of how it is launched, it will turn to fly cock first.