Badminton was invented in the town of Badminton in England during the late 1800s. Right from the beginning, it involved striking a shuttlecock back and forth across a net with a type of strung rackets. Over the years, shuttlecocks have evolved and are made from a variety of grades of goose feathers and duck feathers. In fact, only the feathers from the left-wing of the birds will work because the angle of the feather must be consistent for the badminton shuttlecock to fly and rotate correctly through the air.
Most shuttlecocks are hand-made in factories in China and
most major brands contract their preferred factory to make certain grades of
shuttlecock at target consumer prices. The higher-grade feathers are less
plentiful so in keeping with supply vs demand, the high-end international
badminton shuttlecock comes with a premium price. The base of the shuttlecock
can also differ with full natural cork playing and feeling the best but again,
commanding a premium price.
Most badminton players around the globe play with natural
goose or duck shuttlecocks but in the United States and Canada, synthetic badminton
shuttlecocks are very common with one main difference. The synthetic badminton
shuttlecocks are more commonly called badminton birdies! Badminton birdies is
also a term that is used more among backyard and beach badminton players or
recreational players that are more engaged in playing badminton casually or
socially.
Badminton birdies are made from nylon or plastic and tend to
be more durable than a natural feather shuttlecock. This is important for the
less experienced players because they have not developed the skills to
consistently hit the sweet spot of the badminton racket which can wear down
shuttle quickly. Badminton birdies are also made with a synthetic cork base to
help lower the cost and make them more durable. Badminton birdies are usually
sold in a tube of 6 compared to 12 shuttlecock.
Like ping pong vs table tennis, shuttlecock vs badminton birdie is
more about where and how the game of badminton is played, not about what the
game is played with. Junior players that are just beginning to learn how to
play most often start and practice with birdies. Many brands offer white or
yellow birdies with yellow being the most popular because of their striking
contrast against the white and light-coloured ceilings and walls in gyms and
community centres throughout the United States and Canada.
