Keywords
avian behavior
life history
molt
filed observation
How to Cite
Abstract
Bathing in birds, particularly in water, is an innate behavior that complements preening, promoting the maintenance and cleanliness of feathers. Although its function during molt is poorly understood, it has been suggested that bathing may facilitate the shedding of loose feathers. On July 30, 2025, at Spencer Spit State Park in Washington, USA, a group of Ring-billed Gulls Larus delawarensis was observed bathing and preening, followed by the discovery of numerous freshly shed feathers in the water. Since the event coincided with the molting season, it is proposed that water bathing may accelerate feather loss, representing the first record of this behavior for the species.
References
Anand, A. 2023. The relevance of avian bathing behavior. Tesis de Maestría, Jagiellonian University, Cracovia, Polonia.
Bostwick, K. 2016. Feathers and plumages. Pp: 101-147. In Lovette, I.J. & J. W. Fitzpatrick (eds.), Handbook of bird biology: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Third edition, Wiley, Chichester: Wiley.
Gill, F.B. 1995. Ornithology. Second Edition. W. H. Freeman and Company, New York.
Harris, M.P. 1971. Ecological adaptations of moult in some British gulls. Bird Study, 18(2): 113-118.
Leahy, C. 1982. The birdwatcher´s companion: an encyclopedic handbook of North American birdlife. Gramercy Books, New York.
Lynch, M. 1995. The Importance of documenting birds. Bird Observer 23(5): 276-283.
Murphy, S.M., J.V. Braun & J.R. Millam. 2011. Bathing behavior of captive Orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 132(3-4): 200-210.
Peterson, R.T. & E.L. Chalif. 1989. Aves de México: guía de campo. Editorial Diana, México, D.F.
Pollet, I.L., D. Shutler, J.W. Chardine & J.P. Ryder. 2020. Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Consultado el 1 de noviembre de 2025. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.ribgul.01
Potter, E.F. & D.C. Hauser. 1974. Relationship of anting and sunbathing to molting in wild birds. The Auk 91(3): 537-563.
Rodriguez-Juan, J., D. Ortiz-Perez, M. Benavent-Lledo, D. Mulero-Pérez, P. Ruiz-Ponce, A. Orihuela-Torres, J. Garcia-Rodriguez & E. Sebastián-González. 2025. Visual wetlandbirds dataset: bird species identification and behavior recognition in videos. Scientific Data 12(1): 1200.
Scott, S.D. & C. McFarland. 2010. Bird feathers: a guide to North American species. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg.
Sibley, D. A. 2000. National Audubon Society: The Sibley Guide to Birds. Chanticleer Press, New York.
Slessers, M. 1970. Bathing behavior of land birds. The Auk 87(1): 91-99.
Terres, J.K. 1991. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Wings Books, New York.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Fabio Germán Cupul Magaña