Re: Vulture warm up

[Nick Pharris <npharris@umich.edu>]

Quoting Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>:

> Corvids will also lie spread-eagled over ants' nests and let the  
> ants crawl all over them. It's
> thought that either the ants actively remove parasites from the  
> feathers, or they leave a liberal
> coating of antiseptic secretion on the feathers, or perhaps a  
> combination of both (so that both
> parasites and micro-organisms are dealt with).

My dad and I once observed two Steller's Jays (Cyanocitta stelleri)  
lying motionless, spreadeagled on the ground in a part of our back  
yard where the dirt was exposed.  At first we thought maybe they had  
succumbed to West Nile virus or something, but they hopped up good as  
new when we approached.  I figured they were just dust-bathing, but  
now I suppose it's possible they could have been ant-bathing instead.

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Nicholas J. Pharris