This house wren was having an energetic dust bath in the next door lot.

Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, June 5, 2024.



Troglodytes aedon

When a bird preensit’s distributing oil secreted by a gland throughout its plumage. This oil keeps the feathers pliable, weather-proof, and ready for flight. But this oil can build up, making their feathers greasy and matted. When they take a dust bath, particles bind to the excess oil. After flapping around in the dust, they’ll fly up to a perch to complete the routine, fluffing out their feathers to shake off the excess. The bird now sports fluffier, more flight-worthy feathers.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Golden-crowned kinglet.

Image
Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, Oct 22, 2021. Flitting though the hedge, dashing to the water and gone again. Elapsed time 3 seconds or less. Regulus satrapa Though barely larger than a hummingbird, this frenetically active bird can survive –40 degree nights, sometimes huddling together for warmth. source- Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Read more

My Cat is Stranger Than Your Cat

Image
Okay this is weird; I’ll give you that right up front. We got Maggie from an animal shelter so we don’t know her background. We have found out that, if you don’t latch the bathroom door securely, Maggie will come crashing in to visit. She promptly climbs into your pants and makes herself comfortable. Now I don’t normally take a camera into the bathroom, however, this is regular thing with Maggie so, now you know the story. Sam, the black cat wants to know what Maggie is doing. Sam seemed quite upset over the blow to feline superiority.
Read more