How many feathers does a shuttlecock have?

A shuttlecock (also called a bird or birdie) is a high-drag projectile used in the sport of badminton. It has an open conical shape formed by feathers (or a synthetic alternative) embedded into a rounded cork (or rubber) base. The shuttlecock's shape makes it extremely aerodynamically stable. Regardless of initial orientation, it will turn to fly cork first and remain in the cork-first orientation.

A shuttlecock weighs around 4.75 to 5.50 g (0.168 to 0.194 oz). It has 16 feathers with each feather 62 to 70 mm (2.4 to 2.8 in) in length, and the diameter of the cork is 25 to 28 mm (0.98 to 1.10 in). The diameter of the circle that the feathers make is around 58 to 68 mm (2.3 to 2.7 in).

The shuttlecock is formed from overlapping feathers, usually goose or duck, embedded into a rounded cork base. The cork is covered with thin leather. To ensure satisfactory flight properties, it is considered preferable to use feathers from right or left wings only in each shuttlecock, and not mix feathers from different wings, as the feathers from different wings are shaped differently.