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Scratching among birds

on 10th June 2009

Jason Cho photographed a Red-breasted Parakeet (Psittacula alexandri) scratching itself outside his house recently.

Well, birds do get itchy. In parts of the body where it can reach with its bill, it is easy to relieve the itch. When the itch occurs on the head, the bird has to use its foot to scratch. And scratching is a common comfort behaviour, in addition to preening, stretching and what have you.

However, scratching does not always mean that the bird is itchy. Scratching also comes into play in feather maintenance, realigning the barbs of the feathers. Head scratching is also seen during moulting, as it helps to dislodge and remove old feathers.

There are two methods of scratching. Here, the parrot scratches by the direct method of raising its foot from under the wing. This is characteristic of terrestrial birds. Among arboreal birds as in sunbirds, the indirect method is used, where the leg is extended over the wing to reach the head.

Now, has anyone an image of an arboreal bird doing an indirect scratch?

Image by Jason Cho.

This post is a cooperative effort between NaturePixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

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