Was sending my previous note just as yours arrived. My idea is like your #3. I like #3 and #4.
I should add that the bird resumed active foraging right after the 2nd sunning on the path. It didn't appear to have just bathe nor did I see any preening. ChrisP On May 31, 2013, at 17:43 , Susan Fast wrote: Chris, I can think of 4 reasons that could explain this behavior. 1. Some birds, like some people, like to lie in the sun. 2. The bird may have come from bathing, and wishes to dry its feathers quickly. 3. Research has shown that a short period of dry heat (a dryer, for example) will kill nymphal deer ticks. Washing doesn’t kill ticks. 4. At this time of the year, when birds have nestlings to feed, they may not feel they have the time to spend laboriously oiling individual feathers, and so use the sun’s warmth to distribute their oil quickly and evenly, especially to hard to reach spots like the back. I like the last idea myself. Steve Fast Brooktondale ________________________________ From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Chris Pelkie Sent: Friday, May 31, 2013 1:07 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Blue-gray Gnatcatcher oddness 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: 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/ --
