Why Do Birds Bathe? 



335 



and we are told that dust-bathing is at least a partial cure for feather-lice. 

 Water-bathing doubtless is a cleansing operation, but why is it taken? I 

 never saw a Robin or a Grackle with muddied plumage. Why do they do it? 

 How often? What other birds do it? If some of our young bird-folk would 

 make a list of the birds they have seen bathing, together with the manner, 

 the time of day, and season of the year, it would afford new and valuable 

 light, and would, I think, show that no birds outside of the perchers, and Ducks 

 and the Gulls, and the swimming birds ever take a water-bath. So far as I 

 know, the only one to take all these kinds — sun-bath, dust-bath, and water- 

 bath — is the despised English Sparrow, to which habits perhaps its vigorous 

 health is largely due. I think I have even seen it wallowing in the snow when 

 no other bathing opportunity was at hand. 



As a beginning, I tabulate my observations of various groups, etc. No doubt 

 they will be greatly modified by fuller study. 



Divers 



Gulls 



Ducks 



Grouse 



Barn-fowl 



Pigeons 



Eagles 



Hawks 



Owls 



Pigeons 



Sparrows 



English Sparrow 

 Robin 



Sun-Bath 



Dust- Bath 



Shower- 

 Bath 



I'lunRe- 

 Bath 



Yes 



No 



Yes 



Yes 



Yes 



No 



Yes 



Yes 



Yes 



No 



Yes 



Yes 



Yes 



Yes 



No 



No 



Yes 



Yes 



No 



No 



Yes 



Yes 



No 



No 



Yes 



Yes 



No 



No 



Yes 



No 



No 



No 



Yes 



No 



No 



No 



No 



No 



Yes 



Yes 



No 



Yes 



Yes 



Yes 



Yes 



Yes 



Yes 



Yes 



No 



No 



Yes 



Yes 



Any time 



Any time of day 

 when the sun is 

 strong 



The heat of the day 



