Ever notice how, when you turn on the sprinkler on a hot summer's day, the robins come hoppin'?
Sure looks like a pool party out there, one minus the beach towels.
The thing about birds -- all birds, not just the seed eaters or fruit eaters or bug eaters only -- is that they are big drinkers. And their cocktail is water.
But that's not all the quaffers will do with a fine shallow puddle of cool, clear H2O, be it one from a hose, or the rain, or one you set out just for the flock.
Those winged fellows who make merry in your backyard, they might take a gulp, but don't be surprised if they leap in for a dunk.
Water, for birds and the rest of us, is no iffy proposition. It's essential -- year-round, but most especially in summer.
"Birds don't perspire," says birdscaper Tim Joyce, "they respire. That means they breathe more (or faster) when they're hot, and the more they breathe, the more fluid they lose."
And, says Joyce, they're not just splashing around for the sheer delight of it -- although it sure is delightful to watch. Joyce calls it "a beautiful, intricate process," one that is worth sitting down to enjoy.
All that splashing is really about "feather maintenance." Birds emit plenty of oils from glands in their tiny bodies, and the splashing in water helps to spread the water out to the wing feathers. It promotes smooth flight, helps ditch the pests (feather mites) that might want to hitch a ride on those wings, and when temperatures dip, those oiled-up feathers create better insulation.