Crowned Crane and a closeup of its crest feathers
The Crowned Crane sports what looks like stiff, almost porcupine-thick bristles for its crest. They are real feathers, but like no other. In the enlarged image, my phone was able to take a close enough picture that you can see the regular twists in each shaft. The shafts are flattened twists with only an occasional barb coming out of one side.