Month: July 2022

The Bath Habits of Eurasian Jays

Close-up of an Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)

A beautiful Eurasian jay with bright plumage, maybe due to ant bathing? Jays engage in a curious behavior called ant bathing: they climb an ant hill and let ants climb all over their body while moving around to excite the ants. The theory is that the formic acid secreted by the ants to protect themselves helps keep the bird’s plumage healthy and glossy. Then they’d take a bath to get rid of the poor ants!.


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Did You Know This About Woodpeckers?

Close up of a great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Great spotted woodpecker

The great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) has exceptionally keen hearing and can hear the larva moving under the bark of the trees. This is why you can often see woodpeckers standing still in a tree and turning its head towards the trunk, clearly listening.


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