pinfeather
/ˈpɪnˌfɛðər/
noun
- A small, undeveloped feather that looks like a thin pin, especially on a young bird.
- The baby robin's first pinfeathers were just starting to poke through its skin.
- The parrot's pinfeathers on its head made it look a bit scruffy before they opened.
- When grooming their chicks, parent birds carefully remove the sheath from each pinfeather.