The mystery of anting:The behavior is common and fascinating but not often seen

摘要

A Blue Jay, holding an ant in its bill, spreads and lowers its wings and brings its tail forward between its legs, wiping the outer wing and tail feathers with the ant. The jay has been doing this for several minutes, sometimes losing its balance andstumbling a bit.The behavior, called anting, is almost comical. It occurs when birds utilize ants in a stereotypic way. It can be active, as in the case of the Blue Jay, or passive, such as when an American Robin or other bird crouches on an anthill with its wings and tail spread, allowing ants to crawl freely throughout its feathers (above).