A feather cloud is most commonly called a Cirrus cloud.
Understanding Cirrus Clouds
Cirrus clouds are high-altitude clouds characterized by their wispy, feathery appearance. They are composed entirely of ice crystals, as noted in the provided reference material describing them as "wispy, feathery, and composed entirely of ice crystals." [^1] This unique composition and altitude contribute to their delicate, feather-like structure often seen in the sky. Their presence can sometimes indicate an approaching warm front or upper-level jet stream. [^1]
Other similar high-level clouds include cirrostratus (sheet-like) and cirrocumulus (small, patchy clouds).[^5] However, the descriptive term "feather cloud" most accurately applies to the characteristic appearance of cirrus clouds. One source even explicitly refers to Cirrus clouds as "feather cloud or mare's tail."[^10] Note that while some other cloud types might exhibit feathery aspects under specific conditions, the term is primarily associated with cirrus clouds due to their consistently wispy nature.
Several online resources depict and discuss the visual identification of these clouds. For instance, a Reddit post shows an example of a cloud looking like a feather and identifies it as such.[^2] A blog post also describes cirrocumulus clouds as resembling "feather down" or wave patterns.[^7]
It's important to distinguish this meteorological term from other uses of "feather cloud," such as references to software projects or artistic representations, like "Feather Flowers" mentioned in a wiki about a particular game.[^6, ^9] The meteorological context is paramount when interpreting the term.
[^1]: Cirrus clouds are wispy, feathery, and composed entirely of ice crystals. They often are the first sign of an approaching warm front or upper-level jet streak.
[^2]: Looks like a Feather...what kind of cloud is this? : r/CLOUDS
[^5]: Cirrus cloud - Wikipedia
[^6]: Feather Flowers | Shining Nikki Wiki | Fandom
[^7]: What's That Cloud? Your Guide to Cloudspotting
[^9]: Feathers Cloud | The Feathers Experts
[^10]: Feather cloud
