Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
There are details a scientist might observe while holding a bird in his hand that the casual observer might totally overlook in the field. The Northern Rough-winged Swallow provides a perfect example of this. For most of us, it is just one of those rather indistinctly colored swallows that flit over the open water in seemingly effortless flight. Even John James Audubon fell into this same trap when he collected what he believed were Bank Swallows which share many of the same characteristics. But upon examining them more closely he discovered that he had collected representatives of a new species. Later observations added more information which have helped us differentiate between the two, but at the time, one thing stood out in his mind – their wings.
Running his hands over the collected specimens he discovered the leading edge of the wings felt rough, like drawing one’s hand over a rough file. Upon closer examination he recognized that these outer primary feathers lacked terminal barbules, those little hooks that help feathers stay connected. Obviously, their flight was not adversely affected. But neither he, nor others since, have been able to figure out the purpose of this anomaly. This so impressed him, he awarded the scientific species name, serripenni, (meaning “saw feather”) to his discovery.
Paul seems to echo the idea that it’s not always those things which are most obvious that are the most important. Notice his comment on this found in Romans 2:6-7: “There is no doubt at all that he will ‘render to every man according to his works’, and that means eternal life to those who, in patiently doing good, aim at the unseen (but real) glory and honour of the eternal world.” (J.B. Phillips New Testament)