DEAR JOAN: In the morning, I see a variety of birds splashing in our bird bath. Why do the birds do this?
Rosemary Hagman, Oakland
DEAR ROSEMARY: Birds splash around in birdbaths, water puddles and even a dripping hose bib, for the same reasons we hop in the shower in the morning or take a soak in the bathtub — to get clean.
Although there are not a lot of studies on why birds bathe, it makes sense that birds would want to clean their feathers and keep them in good shape. Keeping those feathers in good working condition ensures the birds will be able to fly, keep warm and get food.
It might not seem that birds get all that dirty, but they do, plus they are susceptible to mites and other little critters. There’s some belief that they also enjoy the baths.
Most birds prefer morning soaks, starting their day off by an invigorating bath. After splashing around, they sit in the sun to dry their feathers and down, and they preen, pulling at their feathers to get them all arranged…
