My first blog entry as a
relatively new employee for the World Bird Sanctuary gave me a bit of trouble.
I was not sure what would
be a great topic for my first entry. Obviously, it has to be interesting. It has to be captivating and it has to
make you want to read my entries.
I thought I could talk about my favorite bird; discuss fun facts and the
importance of the species. I could
discuss my animal occupations and how I came to the Sanctuary or tell you about
my first day on the job. Maybe, in
the future I will use those topics.
But for the first entry, I am currently being inspired by the snow
falling down and how I wish I could be in the sun, soaking it in like so many
of our birds do when the weather is warm.
Skinner, a Turkey Vulture, sunning (photo by Gay Schroer)
All birds adapt their own
posture for sun bathing. Some
stand and open their wings while others may lay flat on the ground. In both cases, body feathers are often
fluffed up and the feathers along the wings are spread out. Besides just soaking in the sun, these
postures serve other important purposes.
For one, the preening oil
along the feathers is allowed to spread.
This is the same oil that keeps the
feather integrity, has a waterproofing effect, and an antiparasitic effect.
Dewey, a Bateleur Eagle enjoying the sun
Secondly, it also forces
parasites out from within the plumage.
At the Sanctuary, we do routine checks on our birds to eliminate the
possibility of parasites. For
birds in the wild, this is a helpful technique to help rid them of the nasty
vermin.
Besides the healthy
benefits that go with sunbathing, it is also hard not to admit that the
behavior just looks awesome. It is
not everyday that you get to see these birds sitting still with wings
stretched.
Keeoo, an African Augur Buzzard (photo by Gay Schroer)
The snow may seem endless
at times, but when the sun starts to peak through, make a visit out to the World
Bird Sanctuary and you may get a glimpse of a
sunbathing bird.
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