Feathers are of ultimate importance to birds — crucial for flying, protection from rain, heat and cold and, during nesting season, attracting mates and defending territories. No wonder, then, that ...

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.

I thought my cat was bad. The incessant licking to keep himself clean. He’s got to be the cleanest cat ever. Then I watched a northern mockingbird preening itself. It went on for as long as I could ...

Q We often see birds preening, using their bills to arrange and smooth feathers. It has to be something other than ego, right? A Yes. Without a mirror, ego is not a factor. It's a maintenance issue.

Seabirds called common murres appear to use preening as a way to negotiate whose turn it is to watch their chick and who must find food. And when one parent is feeling foul, irregularities in this ...

Bruce, a partially beak-less Kea parrot, is giving the term "bird brained" new meaning by wow-ing scientists with his innovative self-care tools. Animal Minds/University of Auckl Bruce, a partially ...