Just Bathing?

[Steve Wheeler]

First let me say it was a GREAT idea to include this area of discussion... Well done... BPN strikes again! Secondly thank you to John Chardine for moderating and helping us understand our feathered friends a little bit better.

We have a small flock (60-70 birds) of American White Pelicans that winter at a lake here in Dallas. I spent a good deal of time with them on the weekends while they were here this season. Dunno if it makes a difference, but most of that was either in the early morning or late afternoon / early evening. This day I happened to be there in the afternoon and as usual they would take a little bath after landing and before heading to the shore to preen/nap. The baths consisted of the typical head dunk followed by washing water over their bodies.

This day was different however in that after that bath they would flap their wings and SLAP THE TAR out of the water! Made a lot of racket in the process too! It was really something to see (and hear). In all the hours I'd spent watching and photographing them I'd never seen this behavior and have always been curious what it was they were doing.

Just a little more "Rigorous Bathing" than normal?

Where they trying to dislodge parasites?

Some social aspect?

Whatever it was they looked like they were having fun doing it!

Any thoughts?

Steve

[James Shadle]

It sure looks like fun!

But John is better qualified to answer.

James

[John Chardine]

Not much better James! This is a tough one and I would like to hear other opinions. The only thing that comes to mind is that one theory to explain breaching in whales (where they rear up out of the water and slap down onto the surface) is to remove external parasites. Could pelicans be doing the same thing?

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Not much better James! This is a tough one and I would like to hear other opinions. The only thing that comes to mind is that one theory to explain breaching in whales (where they rear up out of the water and slap down onto the surface) is to remove external parasites. Could pelicans be doing the same thing?

I was wondering about that, too. After all, they have white plumage and the 'frying' of parasites doesn't work. Maybe they drown them. :)

[Steve Wheeler]

James... I've often wondered if birds are capable of having "Fun"... Doing something for the shear joy of doing it. Maybe that doesn't make any sense in terms of energy expenditure... I dunno. These guys certainly LOOKED like they were having fun to me, but it's so easy for us to impose or interject our human ways of looking at and thinking about the world.

John... I too will be interested to hear if others have seen this. On top of the question "What are they doing?"... It seemed curious that I hadn't witnessed it before this occasion or since in all the time watching them.

There are no brown pelicans here... Was wondering if anyone had witnessed the same behavior in them?

If it is "parasite reduction", perhaps the browns achieve the same thing by another means i.e. slamming into the water while diving for prey. (The whites feed in a different way.) Or perhaps the browns just spread their wings and heat things up!

Also very curious about the protuberance the whites develop on the top side of their bill with the onset of mating season... But that's another thread.

Again.... It's great BPN has included this "Sub-Forum". It's been extremely interesting to read all the threads here.

Questions... Questions....

Steve

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Actually, I've seen Brandt's Cormorants do the same. They sit on the water occasionally submerging their head and then start beating the wings onto the water surface. But I've never seen them doing it collectively. It is usually a few while others just go about their usual business. Always wondered what's up with that.

And yes, this forum is a great addition to BPN. Love it! JR

[Eleanor Kee Wellman]

I have seen other water birds doing the same sort of thing. Herring, Ring-billed and Great Black-backed gulls do it as do loons. I have always thought that they were just giving their wing feathers a good wash.

[Chris Zink]

I also have seen white pelicans doing the same behavior on the Chesapeake Bay. The action is VERY vigorous, and the birds sometimes spin around while doing it. I have seen 3 to 4 doing it at the same time out of a flock of a dozen or so.
Chris