The bird was "sunning." It leans over, opens its feathers, and exposes its bare skin to sun. This raises its temperature which probably sends at least a few lice and mites packing.
I took a photo of my backyard male sunning just last week. < https://www.flickr.com/photos/lauraerickson/50039373192> Best, Laura Erickson, Duluth On Sat, Jul 4, 2020 at 8:59 AM linda whyte < 0000004e7b0e779a-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote: > Would it make a difference what type of wood the chips are? Perhaps cedar, > for instance, may have special qualities for the purpose of "antting". > Linda Whyte > > On Sat, Jul 4, 2020, 8:29 AM Susan Tertell <stert...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > From the original post, it doesn't seem as though ants are involved. > Could > > the fumes from the wood chips serve the same purpose? > > > > Susan > > > > On Fri, Jul 3, 2020 at 10:23 PM John Clouse < > > 00000249d7b7d4a1-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote: > > > > > It’s “anting.” > > > > > > John > > > > > > > On Jul 3, 2020, at 1:49 PM, "jbaum...@usfamily.net" < > > > jbaum...@usfamily.net wrote: > > > > > > > > Hello. I just observed some robin behavior I'd never seen before > and > > > wonder if someone can explain it. > > > > > > > > I went to close a window on the west side of the house and in the > > garden > > > there, a robin landed on the wood chips, leaned a little to one side, > and > > > laid - head tilted - with his mouth open. Within seconds, another > robin > > > flew in - spread his wings completely open on the wood chips, tilted > his > > > head and opened his mouth. Both stayed a few minutes - long enough for > > me > > > to get the binoculars to observe their open mouths, and then the camera > > to > > > snap a few shots. After a few minutes, the robin with the open wings > > stood > > > up, walked a few steps and flew off. Within 15-20 seconds, the second > > > robin did the same. > > > > > > > > If the garden were in the shade, I'd assume they were cooling off. > But > > > this was in strong west-facing sun. Ideas? > > > > > > > > Jeanne > > > > West Como, St. Paul > > > > ---- > > > > Join or Leave mou-net: > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > > > social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > > > > > ---- > > > > Join or Leave mou-net: > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > > > social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > > > ---- > > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > social > > > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > > > > ---- > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > -- Laura Erickson Duluth, MN www.lauraerickson.com For the love, understanding, and protection of birds Cynicism pollutes objectivity. —Dan Rather Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
