Anting

From: SCooke [mailto:ncw001"at"nc.rr.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2004 1:11 PM
Subject: curious EABL behavior

Yesterday, as I looked out my window I saw a male EABL fly down to the ground, and spread his wings out to his sides as he lay on the ground.  Before I could get my camera to take a picture he was off again.  Is this typical behavior?  What in the world was he doing? Shane, NC

From: Bruce Burdett [mailto:blueburd"at"tds.net]
Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2004 2:14 PM
Subject: Re: curious EABL behavior

Sharon, et al, Many birds do the kind of thing you describe when they find an ant-hill. They apparently like to have the ants crawl on them. Maybe it tickles them pleasantly, or scratches their itches, or grooms their flaking skin. Who knows? I have no way of knowing, of course, if the Bluebird you described is doing this, but it's a possibility. I would welcome any testimony from real scientists out there who know more about the bird-ant relationship than I do.                (Keith. Where are you?)               Some birds, of course, EAT ants, like the Flickers, por ejemplo. Bruce Burdett, SW NH

From: judymellin [mailto:judymellin"at"netzero.net]
Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2004 7:46 PM
Subject: Re: curious EABL behavior

If the birds are "anting," it has to do with formic acid from the ants and its possible effect on mites.  According to John Eastman in Birds of Forest, Yard and Thicket: "Researchers disagree about the function of anting behavior, in which the bird picks up ants and rubs them vigorously on its plumage.  The traditional view is that ants' formic acid acts as an insecticide or fungicide against feather and skin parasites.  Anting often occurs during periods of high humidity, lending weight to the fungicidal theory.  But other investigators find no correlation between anting and parasite or fungal presence; they speculate that anting, like sunning, is simply a comfort activity, stimulating the skin, especially during summer molt.  A recent theory suggests that anting forces the insects to expel their formic acid, thus making them more palatable to consume.  Observed in more than 200 species of birds (mostly passerines) worldwide, anting needs more detailed observations." Judy Mellin NE IL.

From: Keith & Sandy Kridler [mailto:txbluebirder"at"sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 9:02 AM
Re: Third nesting and sun bathing birds Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas

It is getting late now for bluebirds to fledge young, teach them how to feed on their own and then begin a new nest. We still have some bluebirds just now laying eggs but the majority of the bluebirds are finished for the year as they are beginning to molt and the stress of growing new feathers to replace the old ones will prevent a hen from being able to lay eggs and molt at the same time. In your case she also needs to find a male bluebird that is still able and willing to mate and be fertile this late in the season. Studies with House Sparrows have shown that the males lose the urge to mate and be fertile when they are subjected to high temperatures like we experience in the southern states. Normally about two to three weeks of 100*F plus days will see the end to the House Sparrow nesting season. Heat may also affect the male bluebirds fertility. Birds sunbathing: There were several good answers to this but many species of birds will spread out their wing and tail feathers and allow the sun to drive the mites and lice off of their bodies. I watched an Inca Dove sunning itself yesterday on top of the nestbox that the Great Crested Flycatchers used this year. Birds use water baths, dust baths, sunshine and ants on occasion to help keep their feathers clean and in good shape. The European Collared Dove is now common in Northeast Texas as are the Inca's and even the domesticated Ring Necked Doves are thriving in this area. Strange how some birds are dwindling in numbers and others are exploding in population. KK

From: Tnbluebirdman"at"aol.com [mailto:Tnbluebirdman"at"aol.com]
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 9:28 PM
Subject: Blue Bird Behavior Question.

...I have noticed some behavior lately from my resident pair of Blues that I cannot explain and cannot find any discussion on.

Both the male and female have done this so I'm at a loss to explain it. They fly down onto the lawn and strike a kinda playing possum like pose and lay on the ground with their heads cocked to one side and their wings extended.They stay in that position for several minutes. Long enough in fact that I went out to see if they were ok, only to have them fly off to the trees.
Has anyone witnessed such behavior before and possibly explain it to me. Thanks in advance...

Bob in NE TN..

Hi Bob,

Sounds to me like they might have been "anting". Did what they were doing look anything like the sketch accompanying the third entry down on this webpage?

http://birds.cornell.edu/programs/urbanbirds/ubs_GlozzzryEN.html

Cher

From: Pamela Ford [mailto:jpford"at"comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 10:25 PM
Subject: RE: Blue Bird Behavior Question.

I’ve previously seen this type of behavior in other bird species, either sunbathing or “ant” bathing. Both the sun and ants are thought to assist in reducing parasites (mites, etc.)

Pam in Harford County, Maryland

From: SCooke [mailto:ncw001"at"nc.rr.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2004 7:21 AM
Re: Blue Bird Behavior Question.

Hi, Bob Not long ago I witnessed the same kind of behavior in my backyard EABL's. It was suggested to me that they will do this when there are ants on the ground esp. if it is an anthill. Evidently, the ants provide a kind of anti-mite treatment. Or, who know, maybe they are just trying to get their bellies scratched, like one of my dogs. LOL Sharon in NC

From: Bruce Burdett [mailto:blueburd"at"tds.net]
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2004 9:44 AM
Re: Blue Bird Behavior Question.

Bob, In TN, This sounds like "anting" to me, though of course I can't be sure without coming to TN. Check the ground where they're doing it, and see if there are any signs of an ant colony. They don't EAT the ants. They just try to let the ants crawl into their feathers. Many birds do this. There are MANY theories about why they do this. Does anyone think he knows the definitive answer? I haven't looked it up on Google yet, but I'd guess it's there. Bruce Burdett, SW NH

From: Christy [mailto:ke4fej1"at"email.msn.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2004 10:24 AM
Re: Blue Bird Behavior Question.

Hi All, I don't know anything about Anting. And I have not followed too much what has been said about ants on the posts lately. But, years ago I did see a show on TV that showed where a bird would take an ant in it's beak and it showed where the bird on the cement would scrap it from side to side. Of course that killed the ant, but then the bird would rub the ant all over it's body. The show said it was because the ant has a chemical that will drive off mites. So I have wondered since.... I sure have found a box loaded with mites. Auuughhhhhchhhhhh!!!! ...and boy do they travel fast!!!!! Uck! Well, I wondered if I caught and killed a bunch of ants and then placed them under the nest...or even close to the bottom of the box...would it drive off the mites from the box? I also wondered it might drive them more up into the nest. Hmmmm.....So better idea ...maybe put the crushed ants in the top of the nest amond the babies...to drive them down and out. Does it sound like a plan??????? Since I am rarely around bird boxes I don't get to experiment like this...or I would try it. Christy Sarasota, FL

From: DottyRogers"at"netscape.net [mailto:DottyRogers"at"netscape.net]
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2004 10:57 AM
RE: Blue Bird Behavior Question.

Hi Bob: Is it sunny when your blues do this, and if yes, could they be taking some sun? Ours do this quite abit; usually open their wings halfway, tip their head to the side and fluff their feathers. Sometimes they actually lie on their side. Seen this on both the ground and on fenceposts. Other birds do it, too. Dot From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2004 10:32 AM To: ke4fej1"at"email.msn.com; bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu Subject: RE: Blue Bird Behavior Question. I've been following these posts about anting. However, I must say we should continue to grease the poles to keep ants from getting to the nests. I say this because I checked my backyard blues one afternoon and the nest morning, they were all dead, covered with ants. So, to any "newbies" on the List, don't forget to keep a soft ring of grease on the pole. It also tells the tale if any predator has tried to climb past it. Evelyn Cooper Louisiana Bayou Bluebird Society Delhi, LA

[Note from webmaster: remainder of thread posted on Ants (Part 2).

From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net]
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2004 11:46 AM
Subject: Bluebirds playing at Opossum.

... As for me, I have never seen this behavior in any of our Bluebirds, but I'm will to make a stab at the question, but before I stick my neck out, I have a question.

Had your baby birds fledged yet?
  ... 

Now here is what I think your Bluebirds are doing.

First, I suspect that the parent Bluebirds are playing Opossum to attract a cat, snake or some other threat towards them to get the threat away from their nesting site (that still has the baby Bluebirds inside or the babies had fledge and are nearby.)

Secondly, your parent Bluebirds could be playing Opossum to get the babies to fledge the nesting box. Sounds funny, but as the babies poke their heads out of the nest box, they would see their parent bird on the ground and may react to the Opossum trick, by fledging the nest box to go down to investigate the parent. Once fledge there is no going back, so whatever makes it work for your parent Bluebirds to get the babies to fledge is how these breeders do it, so just enjoy the uniqueness of it all.

Thirdly, if the weather has been cold of late (I doubt that at this time of year) they could be sunning themselves to warm up.

Fourthly and on a sadder level, they could be sick with West Nile Virus or had ingested some insect that had been recently poisoned. I do not think this possible, but I just thought I'd suggest that as a possibility.

Keep an eye on them and do keep us posted here on Bluebird L.
...
John Schuster
Wild Wing Company

I recently observed 2 Western Bluebirds ( M & F ) land on the ground and put their heads down, spread their wings and lay there in the sun for about 1 minute in our front yard.

Is there any significance to this behavior?

The temperature was about 75-80F on a clear dry southern calif day.

We have 6-7 Western Bluebirds that we see on a regular basis at our mealworm feeder. They have nested here for 2 years.

Thanks-
Mary Clare Schlesinger
Escondido, CA

Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas
This is fun to see but the birds are using the sun to drive off mites or lice from their feathers. If you were able to look closely you would probably have seen them raise up the feathers on their necks and head to allow the bright sun light to shine down to their skin. The mites or lice will rush out of the light and head down to the lower or dark side of the bluebirds where some of them will end up in the grass or dirt. Thus the bluebirds succeed in removing some of these blood sucking pests.

I would watch this pair to see if they repeat this over the next several weeks. They will sometimes do this while sitting on a tree branch. Check their old nest after the first young fledge by shaking the nest over a colored sheet of paper. Mites and lice are nearly clear and have little body pigment to protect them from UV rays of the sun. When they drink blood it shows up in their digestive tract first as bright red and later as dark brown.

Often as soon as the birds finish sunbathing you will see them preening their belly feathers and wing feathers with their bills. They are now sweeping or combing the mites or lice off their feathers.

Mites and lice are tiny creatures that will hide in the cracks of wood nestboxes. Or they will hide in the dust in the bottom of the boxes or old nesting material. I have seen ants collecting pollen from flowers and I will assume that sometimes when we find ants in nestboxes they may actually be only hunting old insect parts or very possibly they will capture and eat mites and lice when they encounter them or their eggs. Ants are scavengers on the most part except for the several imported fire ant species.
Cormorants will spread their wings while sunbathing to help their feathers dry. KK

When I have observed this action in birds it seems to be that they are either drying out their feathers after taking a bath, or absorbing heat into their bodies. I would think that the first is true since it is so warm down there.
Jim Koehler
Central, MN

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