Sunshine has sufficiently given an untold number of sunbathers warmth and a kind of meditative period as well. But did you know that other animals are equally keen on spending time in the sun? The sun provides a few benefits for people (as well as some concerns due to the possibility of skin cancer), and sunshine can also provide benefits for birds.
Birds have employed sunshine to deal with things like lice and parasitical eradication, warmth after a long, cool night, drying off after a rainfall, and other probable reasons yet to be determined. There are approximately 50 documented families of birds that actively sunbathe according to a 2018 study published in The Royal Society. They undertake a specific pose that effectively lets the sun kill parasites that latch onto hard-to-reach places in the feather. The UV rays have a deadly effect on lice and other parasites, killing many of them. The study reveals that parasites actively avoid UV irradiation by living where the sun doesn’t shine (underside of leaves, deep in the feathers, etc.)
Basking in the Sun
There have been other studies on sunbathing by birds to determine how often they do it as part of their routines and to further discover the actual reasons why they undertake the practice. Another study attempted to take this activity further by testing how effective UV rays are in destroying parasites. It was found that at least half of the parasites were killed off by short-term exposure to UV rays.
One active sunbathing bird is the crow, which takes on interesting positions to sunbathe. Crows prone themselves in direct sunlight, with spread wings and tilted heads for maximum exposure. They undertake this position and stillness for several minutes before going on to their other activities. There are other specific possible reasons for this activity. One is that the feather affected by parasites can contribute to dull and degraded plumage on male birds, which can be problematic when attempting to woo a mate.
It is also thought that sunlight warms gland-secreted oils that help to keep feathers in good shape. When warmed, the oils are more easily distributed around the bird’s body. Another thought is that Vitamin D is manufactured from sunlight interacting with the oils, and then the infused oil is absorbed to help keep birds healthier and more beautiful.
There have been more than a few studies on sunbathing by birds to figure out this part of the mysteries that birds often present.