Outdoors 5 strange bird behaviours, explained By Jackie Davis Published: March 19, 2024 Updated: March 26, 2024 share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Copy Link Cancel View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 By FotoRequest/Shutterstock Grebes eat their own feathers Waterbirds in the grebe family (including the red-necked grebe, pictured) eat their own feathers. They’ll even pull out their feathers and feed them to their offspring. Ornithologists aren’t entirely certain why, but one theory is that the feathers help protect the birds’ digestive tracts from other, sharper things that they eat—the bones of prey, for example. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 By Danita Delimont/Shutterstock Northern cardinals attack cars Cardinals—both males and females—are incredibly territorial. And they’re smart enough to recognize that they’re seeing a bird in the reflection of a car window, a mirror, or any other shiny part of the vehicle. But they’re not smart enough to understand that they’re looking at themselves. Consequently, cardinals will spend hours fighting their own image, especially in the spring. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 By Charles Mortensen/Shutterstock Robins rub themselves with ants Actually, more than 200 species seem to do this. It’s called “anting” and it’s not always with ants; some birds prefer millipedes. (Shudder.) Experts believe that squishing the insects into their feathers releases natural chemical defenses inside the bugs—fungicides, for example—which helps keep the bird clean. They’re bathing in ants. Which…must be weird for the ants. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 By Agami Photo Agency/Shutterstock Arctic terns sleep while flying Okay, well, this behaviour does make a lot of sense once you understand that every year, this bird travels from one pole to the other (more than 40,000 km) when it migrates from wintering grounds to breeding grounds. For obvious reasons, this is a difficult behaviour to study, but one theory is that the birds can sleep by shutting down one half of the brain while the other half stays alert. It’s called unihemispheric sleep, and scientists have studied it in marine mammals. It certainly seems possible: Arctic terns spend a good portion of their flying time gliding on rising air, no wing flapping necessary. It can’t take that much brainpower to float, can it? View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 By Ron Rowan Photography/Shutterstock Blue jays eat paint chips In fact, they’ll pull paint right off the side of your cottage in the spring. One theory why? They could be eating the paint as a source of calcium, which is necessary for successful egg-laying. Ornithologists don’t believe the jays are consuming the paint right away. More likely, they’re gathering it, storing it in their crops, then stashing it at the nest for later, when they expect they’ll need to replenish their calcium resources. Maybe they’re lactose intolerant? View in Fullscreen Related galleries Glamp at one of Ontario Parks’ many roofed accommodations this summer 5 signs that your trees are unhealthy They’re just like us! 5 ways that baby animals learn 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 strange bird behaviours, explained Some bird behaviours make complete sense to any observer. Gathering nesting material. Splashing in a bird bath. Fighting with others at a feeder. But other behaviours? They can seem a little, well, bird brained if you don’t understand what’s driving it. Here are five oddball avian activities and the reasons behind them. A voice from the wildernessGet The Great Outdoors, our monthly brief on all things natureSign up here Related Story Striking images win Underwater Photographer 2024 awards Related Story Here’s how easy it is to unknowingly purchase an invasive plant—and how to avoid it Related Story Proposed sandhill crane hunting season in Ontario to mitigate crop damage, stabilize rapidly growing population Sign up for our newsletters By submitting your information via this form, you agree to receive electronic communications from Cottage Life Media, a division of Blue Ant Media Solutions Inc., containing news, updates and promotions regarding cottage living and Cottage Life's products. You may withdraw your consent at any time. Dockside Weekly The latest cottage-country news, trending stories, and how-to advice Dockside DIY Bi-weekly Fix-it info, project ideas, and maintenance tips from our DIY experts The Great Outdoors Monthly Nature and environment news and inspiration for people who love to get outside The Key Weekly Need-to-know info about buying, selling, and renting cottage real estate Family Matters Five-part series Untangle the thorny process of cottage succession with expert advice from lawyer, Peter Lillico
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Related Story Proposed sandhill crane hunting season in Ontario to mitigate crop damage, stabilize rapidly growing population