Under the wing head scratch of Burrowing Owl with unidentified debris
How awkward does it appear for a certain bird to balance on one leg/foot while raising the other foot over a wing to scratch its head? Many species scratch over the wing including, most woodpeckers, some parrots, stilts, avocets, hummingbirds, swifts, plovers, kingfishers, many perching birds and others. It still looks like a difficult yoga pose to me.
Other bird species go under the wing which seems more reasonable especially with larger birds. Examples include sandpipers, gulls, terns, jacanas, hawks, flamingos, herons, storks, ducks, geese, swans, pigeons, and certain parrots.
But other species may use both methods which I’ve not been able to photograph. And even this male Purple Martin appeared to push its leg and foot through the wing to scratch, which I did not find in any references.
While researching this topic, a plethora of theories have “arisen” on why a bird uses its foot to scratch the head especially over the wing, termed indirect action…or even under the wing, a direct action. Even a one-legged bird will attempt to head scratch!
Perhaps this head scratching by either method or both may help:
• scratch out feather dust, dirt, and unidentified debris
• to realign the feather parts during preening
• remove external parasites such as feather mites, lice, and their eggs or even infections from certain fungi, bacteria, or other microbes
• clean out molted feathers and new feather sheaths
• ease increased pressure in the inner ear canal or sinuses
• aid in grooming and social bonding during allopreening where two birds share these duties with their bills especially on the head
• to displace another behavior even though the head was not itching
• my additional theories…just make the head feel good or perhaps for reassurance or sometimes scratch the neck which I infer could help with digestion
However, one study did indicate if a pigeon could not scratch its head, it had more feather lice on its head and neck than those that could head scratch. By the way, preening is so important that pigeons even wake up at night to preen.
Typically a bird with a preen gland, located just above the tail, will use the bill to obtain that preen oil or waxy substance to distribute on each feather it can reach. Also, a bird can gather preen oil on its foot to then spread the oil on its head feathers with the head scratch. That oil is great conditioner for the feathers and it appears to serve as a Vitamin D precursor.
Even penguins can balance on one foot to lift the other foot up to meet the head as it bends under the wing. But other penguins can even scratch heads over the wing! Plus other species can also rub their heads and necks on the preen gland to distribute that waxy substances over different body parts such as seen in the Anhinga and the Gadwall.
Some species such as parrots perform allopreening, which is a social function between two members of the same species to share grooming including the heads. How great to have a buddy help with that.
Scientists in the 1950s believed the method to head scratching determined all members of bird families taxonomically. Alas, new research indicates otherwise…sometimes. Diversity varies within a family or even individuals which could vary over or under the wing or both.
By now, you may scratch your head too. For me, I just want to share that the more I watch birds, the more I am curious about small behaviors. I don’t have all the answers, but I certainly enjoy sharing something we may not have noticed or thought, “Why?”
NATURE UNFOLDS BEFORE US IF WE TAKE THE TIME TO OBSERVE!
SPECIES LIST:
* Recorded/documented in the Yucatan Peninsula except for the Canada goose; all are not common so check ebird.org for frequency
Photographed in the USA and Yucatan Peninsula
*Burrowing Owl, Athene cunicularia, Tecolote Llanero (Spanish)
*Gray Catbird, Dumetella carolinensis, Maullador Gris (Spanish), Ch’ich’mis (Mayan)
*Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis, Azulejo Garganta Canela (Spanish)
*Limpkin, Aromas guarauna, Carrao (Spanish), Korrea (Mayan)
Canada Goose, Branta canadensis, Ganso Canadiense Mayor (Spanish)
*Red-lored Parrot, Amazona autumnalis, Loro Cachetes Amarillos (Spanish), Kocha’a (Mayan)
*Purple Martin, Progne subis, Golondrina Azulnegra(Spanish), Kusam (Mayan)
*Carolina Wren/White-browed Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus (albinucha), Saltapared de Carolina (Spanish), X ya’an kotil (Mayan)
*Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga, Anhinga Americana (Spanish), Chowak kaal (Mayan)
*Gadwall, Mareca strepera, Pato Friso, (Spanish)
**White-fronted Parrot, Amazona albifrons, Loro Frente Blanca (Spanish), Sak pool xt’uut (Mayan)t
*Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, Cardenal Rojo (Spanish), Chakts’iits’ib (Mayan)
DISCLAIMER: Some references may not agree or I may not have found the most recent name changes. Plus autocorrect doesn’t like scientific names or language translations.
Sal a Pajarear Yucatán (Guía de aves), personal correspondence Barbara MacKinnon, A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central Mexico, The Crossley Guide
https://academic.oup.com/auk/article/137/2/ukaa010/5743505
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1474-919X.1961.tb02419.x
https://academic.oup5.com/auk/article/76/3/339/521265
https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/75d15010-9d34-4c73-b946-5e5c17ed13cd/content
https://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/africanpenguin/behavior-page
https://www.justanswer.com/bird-vet/geqc9-one-peach-faced-love-birds-scratching.html
Cherie Pittillo, “nature inspired,” photographer and author, explores nature everywhere she goes. She’s identified 56 bird species in her Merida, Yucatan backyard view. Her monthly column features anecdotes about birding in Merida, Yucatan and also wildlife beyond the Yucatan.
Contact: [email protected] All rights reserved, ©Cherie Pittillo
