Q: I witnessed a bird (I think it was a cockatiel) at a pet shop that appeared to be picking at and pulling out its own feathers. Why would it do this? A: Feathers are pretty amazing natural works of ...

We are likely all familiar with preening, the well-known and important bird behavior that helps maintain feather health and hygiene. But what is allopreening? Put simply, allopreening is birds ...

While it’s true that birds have no sense of toilet training (as anyone with a bird bath knows), their sense of feather cleanliness is finely honed. My friend Jane Nelson, who often has a bird tale, ...

Despite their famously fancy feathers, flamingos don't spent more time preening than other waterbirds, new research shows. Despite their famously fancy feathers, flamingos don't spent more time ...

The sandhill cranes that summer in the Homer area spend a good portion of their days preening their feathers to remove dirt and parasites or lice that can damage feathers or cause illness. While their ...

Scientists discovered that the preen oil gland secretions, by which all aquatic birds make their feathers waterproof, support a natural mechanism that concentrates AIVs from water onto birds' bodies.