The Badminton Birdie: (aka: bird, shuttle or shuttlecock)

There are two basic types of birdies: feathers and synthetic. The feather birdie is very delicate; it weighs 4.74-5.5 gr and is more expensive than the synthetic one. It is made of 16 goose feathers secured onto cork base, which is covered by goat skin. Due to its fragility it must be used with utmost care to avoid it hitting the ground repeatedly. Once the feathers are disarrayed it effects the desired projection. Due to different atmospheric conditions on each badminton court, which are affected by the weather as well, birdies are built with different speeds; the Laws of Badminton give specific instructions on how to test the correct speed in each location:

"To test a shuttle, a player shall use a full underhand stroke which makes contact with the shuttle over the back boundary line. The shuttle shall be hit at an upward angle and in a direction parallel to the side lines.

A shuttle of correct speed will land not less than 530 mm and not more than 990 mm short of the other back boundary line."

The above mentioned rule is important since the birdie will travel farther on a dry day than on a humid day; the size and temperature of the court building will also have a certain affect on the birdies speed and flight.

Synthetic birdies have been approved to play in a variety of places and also travel at different speeds. Feathers are replaced by a skirt of synthetic material in simulation to feathers. The base may also be synthetic and must be from 25-28mm in diameter and rounded at the bottom. When compared with feather birdies the synthetic ones are much cheaper and durable for beginner and intermediate players.

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