Clean the mess and wipe the dirt

"like the ostrich feather
clean the mess and wipe the dirt
as the ostrich feather can be a good feather duster "


~Champs Ulysses Cabinatan 

 

 

We had an Ostrich pair roaming our area with their seven chicks and as we enjoyed watching them and monitoring their behaviour and interaction it was also sad to see how they lost chicks. After each last sighting we sat in anticipation when sighted wondering how many chicks were still alive. Eventually there was only two chicks left and we have not seen them for approximately two weeks.

Our Nature Guide Chantell compiled interesting Ostrich feather facts, thank  you Chantell!

Feather care

Feathers are a unique characteristic shared between all bird species. Feathers are an important characteristic as feathers enable birds to fly.

Feather types

1.       Contour feathers are found on the curves of the body and give the bird its streamline shape which enables them to move through the air.

2.       Filoplumes are long, filamentous sensory feathers and are found in between the contour feathers. The filoplumes are able to detect changes in air currents which allow the bird to compensate for those changes.

3.       Rectices (or tail feathers) are used for steering and stabilising the bird while in flight.

4.       Remiges (primaries and secondaries) are the flight feathers of the wings. These feathers are also strengthened with melanin.

5.       Down feathers are found underneath all the other feathers and help to keep the bird warm.

There are various ways that birds keep their feathers in a good flying condition. The feathers also need to be kept in a good condition for insulation.

1.       Preening

The remiges and contours keep their aerodynamic shape using barbs and barbules that hold the vanes together. In flight and bad weather, the barbs of the vanes to detach from one another. This will create a disruption in the aerodynamics of the wings and body. For this reason birds must be able to re-latch the vanes by drawing them through their beaks.

While re-latching the vanes, birds will coat the feathers with preen oil. The oil is secreted from a gland that is situated just above the tail. Preen oil has various functions which include that it keeps the feathers supple; protect the feathers and skin from infestation (fungal or bacterial) and it will remove all excess fats from the feathers, helping with the waterproofing of the feathers.

Herons and Egrets which feed in murky water combine preening with the application of a powder produced by the worn out edges of the down feathers. The powder will absorb any dirt and grim that accumulated on the feathers while feeding. The combination of oil, powder and dirt will be removes by combing the feathers with the beak. After which the feathers will be coated in a preen oil.

Some areas like the head and neck are for a bird to reach. They often rely on another bird to help with the preening process. This is called allopreening. Allopreening is often seen in birds that are monogamous (a breeding pair consisting of one female and one male). This mutual preening process not only cleans the feathers in hard to reach places, but will also re-inforce the bond between the breeding individuals.

2.       Bathing

Birds like to water bathe to clean their feathers. There is however a careful balance between getting the feathers too wet that might impair flight making it difficult to get away from approaching predators. Aerial feeding birds bathe in a unique manner. Instead of sitting on the water’s edge or even in the water, they will dive down and dip into the water covering their feathers with water. Water birds flush water over their backs or dipping their head and shoulders under the water. After a good wash, they will shake their feathers dry and apply preen oil to the feathers.

3.       Shaking

Shaking is a common form of feather hygiene in which the feathers are raised from the skin surface and shaken forcefully. Shaking helps the bird get rid of any moisture remaining on the feathers after bathing or after rain. It also helps removing dust and parasites from the feathers.

4.       Sunbathing

Sunbathing is also used to dry the feathers after bathing or rain. During sunbathing the old preen oils spread over the feathers are softened which will allow parasites to start moving around. When the bird feels the movement of the parasites, they will begin to preen themselves, removing all the unwanted parasites. The UV light from the sun will also help in killing bacteria and restore the shape of the feathers.

 

Hereunder a selection of photos taken during April and May. It was such a privilege to see and capture how these parents were teaching the little one's the trade of being an adult ostrich. Dad did most of the dust bathing demonstrations.

 

 

1.       Dust bathing

This method of feather hygiene is often seen in ground birds like Helmeted Guineafowl and Francolins. They will wriggle their bodies in patches of dirt, flicking fine dust over their bodies with their wings. The dust helps with the removal of parasites and powder down excess preen oil.

2.       Anting

Anting is a poorly understood method of feather hygiene. The anting process uses ants from the Formicinae family to maintain the feathers. Birds rely on two types of anting methods: Active anting and Passive anting.

Active anting involves the bird picking the ants up and rubbing them on the feathers. In self-defence the ants will secrete formic acid onto the feathers. Passive anting will involve that the ant walk over the bird freely, secreting formic acid as they go along. The formic acid secretions will dissolve excess preen oil, and other debris on the skin and feathers. The formic acid may also acts as a pesticide that kills parasites and sooth an itchy skin during moulting.

3.       Moulting

Flying may cause damage to the feathers that cannot be repaired by the process of preening. This damage is repaired by replacing the old, worn feathers with new ones—the process of replacing the worn feathers is called moulting. Moulting may occur only once or even a few times per year depending on the species. Most birds moult at such a time that it does not interrupt flight, sometimes coinciding with the end of the breeding season when males lose their vibrant breeding plumage. Female hornbills on the other hand will moult while she is sealed in a tree cavity with her chicks. She will use her old feathers will line the nest. While she is sealed in the nesting cavity, she relies on her mate to feed her and the chicks. By the time that the chicks are ready to leave the nest, the female will have grown all her tail and flight feathers have grown back.

Sources

Emmet, M. & Pattrick, S. 2013. Game Ranger in your Backpack. All-in-one interpretive guide to the Lowveld