Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - vibrissa

 noun  (plural ~e)  Etymology: Medieval Latin, from Latin vibrare  Date: circa 1693  1. one of the stiff hairs that are located especially about the nostrils or on other parts of the face in many mammals and that often serve as tactile organs  2. one of the bristly feathers near the mouth of many and especially insectivorous birds that may help to prevent the escape of insects