Bark mulch has some fungus/bacteria in it to keep weeds from growing, so these may be beneficial to birds too. Plus, it is rough enough to be a scratching surface to remove mites and lice.
I have seen this behaviors in house sparrows on the campus where everything is covered with tons of bark mulch and Great Crested flycatchers do this too. So this may not be an uncommon behavior. Meena From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David McCartt Sent: Friday, May 31, 2013 1:22 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Blue-gray Gnatcatcher oddness I've seen Robins doing essentially the same thing on the same trail though they stayed put on the bark mulch for much longer than 15 seconds. Looked for ants too but did not see any. Seem to remember it was always on a hot day. David --- On Fri, 5/31/13, Chris Pelkie <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: From: Chris Pelkie <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Blue-gray Gnatcatcher oddness To: "CAYUGABIRDS-L CAYUGABIRDS-L" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Date: Friday, May 31, 2013, 1:07 PM I just took a brief lunchtime walk on the northern part of Wilson Trail at SSW. I saw a small bird flit to a low shrub only 10-12' from me, got on it and ID'd it as a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. Then, it flew down to the bark mulch in full sun, spread its wings and wing feathers as wide as possible, pressed its belly to the mulch and flattened its wings on the mulch, fluffed up all its back feathers, opened its mouth wide. Sat there for 15 seconds or so. Hopped up into a bush for 15 sec or so, then repeated the spreadeagle (spreadgnatcatcher, I guess) in a different spot. I thought the first time it might be 'anting', the behavior I've heard of (correct me if this is an old wive's tale) of some birds letting ants bite them to get the formic acid rush which either repels parasites or feels better than the parasites themselves. But when I walked forward I saw no ants or anthills or holes at the spots the bird had just used. No other birds obviously nearby so not apparently a display. Ideas? ______________________ Chris Pelkie Research Analyst Bioacoustics Research Program Cornell Lab of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Road Ithaca, NY 14850 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
