Uropygial Gland

I wanted to share this with some who may have never gotten a good look at one-like me.:)

Cool view. Do they use this for preening?

Julie, The gland secretes an oil that the birds use for preening.:) I never saw one before.
Here is a better definition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uropygial_gland

Thanks for posting Denise.

The secretions from the gland are actually quite complex and include waxes and oils. The bird spreads the secretion over its plumage and it acts like a hair conditioner or dressing to make the feathers more slippery. Thus any imperfections in the micro-structure of the feathers are easily repaired, sometimes just by a shake or a bathe. As mentioned in previous posts, outer, contour feathers are naturally waterproof as a result of their microstructure which prevents water from penetrating because of its surface tension. A feather washed completely of the oil gland secretion is still waterproof, so we know that the secretion itself does not produce waterproof feathers.

John, Thank you for the interesting information you provided.:)