Birds Bathing 



By E. RAYMOND DRIVER, Santa Barbara, Calif. 



I HAVE noted with a great amount of interest the answers published in 

 Bird-Lore to Mr. Ernest Thompson Seton's question "Why do birds 

 bathe?" 



For the last two years it has been a daily pleasure to observe the birds 

 bathing in six baths very close to my house. These bathing-places range from 

 the ordinary cement pillar bath to a io-foot pool, are used many times each 

 day, but I will still refrain from attempting to answer Mr. Seton's question 

 even after some thirty-odd years of almost constant field observation. I 

 think, however, I can make some contributions to this subject. 



While seated on my front porch watching two pools for bathers I noted a 

 movement in the acacia tree which overhangs the lower pool. Turning my 

 binoculars toward the spot I discovered that the movement was caused by a 

 young, almost fully grown Pallid Wren-Tit. Hardly a moment passed before 

 a Rufous-crowned Sparrow (I wish all bird students and bird-lovers knew this 

 grand little fellow) entered the water to give himself a real soaker, as they do, 

 and then up in that acacia I saw a 'bath' such as I never saw before and prob- 

 ably never will again. 



That Wren-Tit went through every motion of a real water-bath, all the 

 time with an eye apparently on the Rufous-crowned. When the real bath was 

 over, the Wren-Tit again went through all the necessary details of putting its 

 plumage in order just as if it had actually bathed. Now comes the part which 

 pleased me beyond expression. 



Fluffing itself out like a round ball, this little mite nestled down close to the 

 limb, slowly, with many upward jerks the little head at last bent lower and 

 lower until it rested on its breast. Asleep? Yes, just like grandfather goes 

 to sleep reading his paper, but that impudent, noisy scamp Mr. Titmouse was 

 evidently watching with me, for out of the big live oak about 20 feet away 

 came a sharp, shrill note; up bobbed that sleepy head like a flash, looking 

 about to see who caused it or why the awakening. The same gradual lowering 

 of the sleepy head again. This same performance was repeated five times. 

 Then little Wren-Tit became disquieted with the Titmouse jokes, gave itself 

 a good shake, and flew away to a quieter spot. 



All the following were seen at the same time either bathing or at the edge 

 of the water apparently waiting their turn: Black-headed Grosbeak, Western 

 Tanager, Lazuli Bunting, Western Yellow-throat, Black-throated Gray, Yel- 

 low Warbler, Spurred Towhee, and a Mourning Dove came for a drink. 



On a very hot day last summer two Doves, after getting their drink, flew 

 about 25 feet to a bare spot on the ground in the full sunshine, each picked 

 out a small hump or hummock of earth, laid themselves out perfectly flat, 

 extended neck and both wings fully and remained in this position for at least 

 fifteen minutes. It was a real sun-bath. 



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