canberrabirds

Do Crested Pigeons Shower?

To: "Canberrabirds" <>
Subject: Do Crested Pigeons Shower?
From: "Esme Barker & Bruce Ramsay" <>
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 20:45:28 +1100
Many years ago in Brisbane, I kept homing pigeons - the regular variety and also the exhibition variety, known (in those days at least) as Showpen Homers.

Both of those varieties used to sunbathe like that (usually in a morning sun patch on the floor of their coop) and they would also rain/water bathe in the same way - generally on the back lawn under a fine spray from the garden hose. They would preen extensively after the water bathing - so I always assumed it was a grooming-related function.

They never seemed to groom much after the sun bathing though. I read somewhere (it was over 25 years ago and I cant recall if it was in a pigeon book or a more general bird book) that the function of sun bathing wasnt clearly understood but that it was thought to possibly be related to a de-lousing effect. My birds were regularly treated with an anti feather louse powder and didnt have lice - but they regularly sunbathed anyway, so maybe the behaviour is innate or maybe it has a purpose other than dissuading lice.

In Canberra, I have seen Magpies sunbathing in a similar way.
Bruce





<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the Canberra Ornithologists Group mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the list contact David McDonald, list manager, phone (02) 6231 8904 or email . If you can not contact David McDonald e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU