What Is a Birdie in Badminton?

Involving two teams, a net and a shuttlecock, or birdie, badminton is the fastest racket sports played in the world today. While mainly played indoors for competition, this game can also be moved outside as a great summertime activity for the whole family. A variety of birdies exist, with even glow-in-the-dark versions available for nighttime play.

  1. What is a Birdie?

    • Some backyard fun playing badminton.

      A badminton birdie is the projectile used in the game of badminton. It is hit by players on opposing teams over a net, similar to tennis, in order to score points. The team that allows the birdie to fall to the ground while it is in bounds loses the point. Because of the conical shape of badminton birdies, they have a high amount of drag while traveling through the air, and are know to "fly." Other racket sports use a ball, which travels in a more linear fashion than shuttlecocks do.

    Birdie Composition

    • A plastic variety of the badminton birdie laying on a badminton racket.

      The original birdies were fabricated by shaping 16 rigid bird feathers into a cone shape with the calamus, or hollow shaft, on the small end of the cone. The calamus was inserted into a shaped cork, wrapped in kid leather. The feathers were supported by interwoven strings at various places along the feathers' calamus to make the birdie stronger. The best feathers to use to make shuttlecocks were from the left wing of a goose. Synthetic versions of the birdie are now prevalent; these varieties replace the cork with either rubber or foam and the feathers with a plastic cone-shaped cage.

    Which Birdie is Better?

    • Goose feather shuttlecocks are used in competition play.

      The birdies made from natural bird feathers are preferred by most professionals and hobbyists alike, as they tend to be more predictable in flight and are biodegradable. The plastic versions, however, are readily available and great for kids as they are more durable and less susceptible to a wayward breeze. The plastic birdies tend to travel faster, deform when struck and have less aerodynamic drag. Because of this feature they are also used for power play.

    Special Birdies

    • Plastic birdies are available in a variety of colors.

      Specialty shuttlecocks are available in many varieties. Glow-in-the-dark birdies allow play of badminton at night, for a new twist on the game. This is never allowed in regulation play; nonetheless, it is a dramatically different way to play.