I think they are sunning to remove pests - see:
https://www.audubon.org/news/hot-bothered-and-parasite-free-why-birds-sun-themselves.
________________________________
It was sunny and in the 70s on 6/7 when I captured a male cardinal puff up
his feathers and lean to one side while looking like he was vegging out.
Can anyone explain this behavior? I love catching it in the summer. I
photographed the cardinal on the W&OD Trail in Vienna but I also recently
saw 3 barn swallows do it on a sidewalk in Maryland. Also, I saw these
birds on the trail before and after the cardinal: 5 male indigo buntings, a
male yellowthroat, a male immature orchard oriole, 2 tree swallows, 2
bluebirds, 3 house finches, & assorted other birds.
My private pix are temporarily here:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/olympusbjs/013762
- Barb, Fairfax
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