I agree, the problem is that social media is full of incorrect information that is regurgitated and then believed to be true.
Shorty
On Sat, Oct 29, 2022 at 7:35 PM Anthony Overs via Canberrabirds <> wrote:
Alison’s got it. The bird is baking out the parasites/lice/etc. I have crested pigeons at home that like to lie in the tan bark with a wing sticking up in the air, cooking the bugs. When I was working at Parliament House there was a corner in
a courtyard that copped the afternoon sun, reflected off the glass walkway. It would get so hot. Up to seven currawongs would sit there in the beating sun, necks kinked, wings spread, in all sorts of broken poses, baking the pests out.
On 29 Oct 2022, at 7:05 pm, Alison Rowell <> wrote:
Feather lice presumably prefer the temperature and the humidity under closed wings. I’ve seen this behaviour often and assume the bird is attempting to kill lice or get them to jump ship by temporarily overheating and drying out its feathers.
It certainly looks as though the bird has chosen the warmest spot available.
This reference suggests the same:
Hot, Bothered, and Parasite-free: Why Birds Sun Themselves | Audubon
Alison R
I don’t think it is ‘anting’ as described by Graham as there are no ants observable in the locations the magpie lays and the bird is perfectly still with no dust bathing movements.
Cheers
Gordon
From:
Sent: Saturday, 29 October 2022 1:24 PM
To: ;
Cc:
Subject: RE: [Canberrabirds] magpie playing dead
The word “anting” is (I would suggest) best applied to the birds using ants. Otherwise it is telling interpretation that might not be correct. But it is also
used as a general term. The photo and description appears to be just sunning behaviour, that magpies often do. (As do many other bird species). It is not sick or taking a nap. Very likely though that the behaviours and the words are all sort of achieving the
same thing.
Philip
From: Canberrabirds
On Behalf Of Graham Gall
Sent: Saturday, 29 October, 2022 12:49 PM
To: Gordon
Cc:
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] magpie playing dead
Yes it’s ‘anting’ Gordon.
Description
Anting is a maintenance behavior during which birds rub insects, usually ants, on their feathers and skin. The bird may pick up the insects in
its bill and rub them on the body, or the bird may lie in an area of high density of the insects and perform dust bathing-like movements.
On 29 Oct 2022, at 12:31 pm, Gordon <> wrote:
Can someone tell me what this magpie is doing? We have a couple of friendly magpies around our house that we regularly feed. I have noticed recently that a magpie (I am not sure if it is the same one) will flop on the ground, as in the
attached photo, for about 10 minutes and then get up and fly off. It does this in different spots in the garden but always in the sun. Sometimes it will just lean against the brick wall with its wings down. Is it sunbaking or taking a nap? I hope it isn’t
sick.
Thanks
Gordon McAllister
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