Contour feathers

 The contour feathers on a bird are those that cover the body and give it it’s streamline profile, including hackles. These feathers are arranged in an overlapping pattern like roof tiles, with the water repellent tips exposed to the elements and the downy bases hidden away close to the body for insolation.

The contour feathers can be everything from brilliantly coloured to uniformly lackluster. They can be used for mating and territorial display and camouflage.

Gallo Indio de Léon Feathers

These range in colour from Pure White to Natural Black in all shades of Steel. Yellowish White to Dark Brown and many shades of Earth colors.

Gallo Pardo de León Feathers

Many natural speckled shades of earth.

How to get the most out of your Gallo de León (Coq de León). Gallo de León includes, Pardo de León and Indio de León rooster breeds.

With Gallo de León being some of the most precious feathers the fly tyer can own and use, it’s important that you get the most out of each and every feather. Using this technique you can select exactly the amount that you require for each fly, and make use of just about every single barb on the feather. 

Firstly, select your CDL feather, to be used for a tail or a wing.

Prepare the feather by carefully striping away the lower fluffy down fibres from the lower part of the feather.

Hold the CDL feather by the tip with one hand.

Then using the finger and thumb of the other hand, stroke the barbs (fibres) downwards so that they stand 90 degrees from the rachis (stem).

Now, with fine sharp scissors cut a small group of fibers (barbs) near the rachis (stem) of the feather. 

Always avoid pulling, striping or peeling them from the rachis.  This will detach a small pig tail portion of the rachis, and make them difficult to align the tips when stacking.

You should now have hold of the small bunch of fibres by the tips.

Exchange the bunch to your other hand holding it by the cut ends. Introduce the bunch, tips first into the stacker. 

Now place your index finger over the top hole of the stacker and strike the base of the stacker down on a hard surface a few times. This is preferably done on a surface that you don’t mind getting damaged!

Once stacked, pivot the stacker horizontally taking care that the tips are facing in the correct direction with respect to how they are to be tied in.

Now carefully remove the base of the stacker.

You can now remove the fibre bunch with the aligned tips from the stacker.

Measure the bunch along the hook shank to ascertain the correct length of tail or wing required. 

Once positioned, tack the bunch down with a couple of loose wraps of tying thread.

Check that you have the correct proportions and position. 

Once they are correct you can sure with further compressed wraps of tying thread.

Some Gallo de Leon roosters with one of their bodyguards!

The very best Gallo de León feathers are available from: https://gallodeleon.com/

This little stacker is specifically designed by one of the main breeders and stewards of the special Gallo de León breed of birds from the Boñar Region, León, Spain, Javier Escanciano. Used for perfectly stacking Gallo de León feather fibers for tails and wings. Made from solid brass to give increased weight when stacking. 

The stacker is reasonably priced at 12,90€ and is available on site