Birds preen their feathers to keep them clean and properly aligned for flight.

The longer version

A feather only works while its barbs stay hooked together, and preening re-zips the barbules that have come apart, using a bill shaped with a fine tip and often a small notch for the job. The bird also spreads oil from a gland at the base of the tail, which keeps the feathers supple.

Preening clears dust, parasites and old sheath material, and it repositions feathers after flight so the wing surface is smooth again. Birds also dust bathe, and some let ants run through the plumage. Preening fills a large share of the day, and a bird kept from preening flies measurably worse.

Where this entry sits

Here you will find feathered trivia about flight, migration, nests, eggs, and the songs birds sing. Expect short surprising facts on penguins, owls, hummingbirds, and other familiar birds from gardens, forests, wetlands, and distant coastlines. The full list sits on the Birds page, where every entry is listed in order.