Feather Family Guide: Getting started as a bird
About
OverviewFeather Family is a bird roleplay game on Roblox where you pick a species, customize your look, hatch from an egg, and explore a wide world with other players. This guide covers how to get started, how to grow your bird, how the Cotinga works, and tips for roleplaying with flocks.
What is on this page
Contents
Getting started as a bird
Step
When you first join, the game asks you to choose a species. Standard birds are available right away, while unlockable birds cost Feathers — the in-game currency you earn by playing. Game Pass birds are bought with Robux. After choosing, you go into the Character Creator to set colors, markings, texture, effects, and size before you hatch.
- Pick a species standard birds are free from the start, so choose one you like the look of.
- Open the Character Creator adjust colors using the basic palette or switch to Advanced mode for full HSV and RGB control.
- Set your markings by default they cover the whole body, but Advanced mode lets you place, resize, and rotate them on specific parts.
- Choose a size larger birds get deeper calls, smaller birds get higher-pitched ones.
- Save your setup you have twelve save slots, and you can name each one to tell them apart.
- Hatch from the egg once you confirm your choices, you enter the world as a hatchling.
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Playing as Cotinga
Table
Cotinga was added on August 21, 2026, and the Tunki skin is its first available look. It is sexually dimorphic, meaning the male and female look different from each other. As a hatchling, Cotinga has low running speed and very low swimming speed. As an adult, it gains medium flight speed and can fly for unlimited time, which offsets its weak ground and water movement. It eats insects and fruits.
| Running speed | average as adult, low as hatchling |
| Swimming speed | very low at both stages |
| Flight | medium speed, unlimited duration as adult |
| Diet | insects and fruits |
| Male extras | larger crest, sparse beak feathers, circular wing feathers colored with the Extra slot |
| Female extras | shorter crest, separate beak tip colored with the Extra slot |
Cotinga actions to know
Tips
Both the hatchling and adult share basic actions like Run, Call, Sit, Eat, Hurt, Eyes, and Beak. The adult gains three extra actions that the hatchling does not have. The Beak action — new as of the Cotinga update — is triggered by holding B on keyboard or Xbox, or holding circle on PlayStation, and releases when you let go. Beaks also move automatically when you send a chat message, unless the message starts with a slash, open parenthesis, or asterisk. You can turn that off in Settings.
- Fly is an adult-only action and lets Cotinga stay airborne indefinitely.
- Display shows different animations for males and females, so it is useful for signaling your character's sex in a roleplay.
- Preen is an adult-only grooming action.
- The Call animation also differs between sexes — the female pairs her motion with a low bellow while the male has a brief pause mid-call.
- Eyes and Beak are available at every stage and just change your bird's expression.
Unlockable birds and currency
SummaryFeathers are the main in-game currency and accumulate as you play. Every bird above 500 Feathers is an extinct species added through Summer of Fossils events. Unlockables range widely in price, so you can grab cheaper birds fairly quickly and save longer for rarer ones. Game Pass birds are the only ones that require Robux, and they come with unique features not found on standard or unlockable birds.
- Standard birds free, available immediately
- Unlockable birds cost 10 to 3,000 Feathers, earned by playing
- Extinct birds all unlockables priced above 500 Feathers
- Game Pass birds purchased with Robux, include hover flight, a unique stage, and a Magic action
Glossary
Glossary- Feathers
- The in-game currency you earn over time by playing, used to buy unlockable birds.
- Hatchling
- The young stage of a bird in Feather Family, with fewer actions and slower movement than the adult.
- Altricial
- A hatchling type that hatches in a dependent state — Cotinga is altricial.
- Sexual dimorphism
- When the male and female of the same species look different from each other, as seen on Cotinga.
- Flock
- A group of players who explore and roleplay together, often with their own rules and scenarios.
- Character Creator
- The in-game tool where you set your bird's colors, markings, texture, effects, and size before spawning.
- Game Pass bird
- A bird bought with Robux that has unique features such as hover flight and a Magic action.
Common questions
FAQDoes Cotinga have any special abilities?
No — Cotinga has no special abilities, but it can fly for an unlimited amount of time as an adult. Its main limitation is very low swimming speed at all stages.
Do I need to spend Robux to enjoy the game?
No. Game Pass birds add unique features, but the core roleplay experience is fully free.
What does the new Beak action do?
Holding B on keyboard or Xbox, or holding circle on PlayStation, opens your beak, and releasing the button closes it. Your beak will also open automatically when you send a chat message unless that message starts with a slash, open parenthesis, or asterisk — you can disable that behavior in Settings.
What is coming in the next update?
The next update is scheduled for Friday, October 2nd and will add an Owl species skin.
Game updates can change what is on this page. If you spot something, get in touch and let us know.
