Why a Birdie Has a Skirt
Learn how a badminton birdie's wide skirt helps it slow down and why plastic birdies are useful for practice.
Play the quiz as a gameA page about badminton has the heading "Meet the Birdie." In this sport, players hit a birdie over a net with rackets. A birdie is not a bird! It has a small, round nose and a wide skirt. The skirt can be made of feathers or plastic.
The birdie needs to slow down after a hard hit. If it kept moving fast, it could fly far past the court. The court is the space where they play. The wide skirt pushes against the air. The air pushes back. This push slows the birdie, helping it land on the court.
Plastic birdies are useful for practice. Plastic can bend without breaking easily. Players can use these birdies for many games.
The page has a picture with the caption "A Birdie's Parts." The caption tells what the picture shows.