Birds Enjoy Cleanliness
The Cape sparrow (Passer melanurus) a medium sized bird that enjoys a dust bath, it does enjoy water as well here lining up to take turns in sand kicked up by the moles, dug up by Woody then raked back to make a perfect afternoon sharing specific spots rounded out one by one.
Why would birds dust bathe, apparently it assists removing excess oils from the skin, old skin removed at the same time and removes parasites, or lice hiding in feathers, making a dust bath in the right conditions really becomes a family affair.
After forming a neat hollow in the sand they lower their breast onto the ground, shake their feathers like there is no tomorrow...., then step aside or fly away for the next to hop into dust bathe using the same slightly hollowed out hole.
Uploaded video to YouTube to showcase the action on my front lawn.....
Thirty-three different species are known to frequently use this method, the sparrows, thrushes, larks, mousebirds, hornbills, game birds and doves.
Birds in my garden bathing frequently are the sparrows and doves.
Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) do enjoy laying in warm sandy spot and stretch their wings out to bathe in the sunlight. Often a pair will settle down to a sunbathing and preening session, regulating their body temperature possibly, keeping feathers in tip top condition for flight for sure.
Two natural elements in nature the birds rely upon, soil and sun to remove unwanted parasites or feather lice. It is believed the ultraviolet rays in sunlight assist killing the lice, then birds remove by picking off their body after basking keeping them healthy and clean removing dirt and other impurities from their feathers.
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All photography and stories are my own, some photography around the home some away on holidays, thanks for reading and being here.
Thought for Today: "If you try to cleanse others, like soap, you will waste away in the process." - African Proverb
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