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Index of Subjects Thanks, all, for the enlightening information. I will continue to marvel at Nature's superior intelligence. Patricia Dix Greenwich NS Jean Timpa wrote: > Yes, refer to the Winter 2009 BNS Newsletter starting on page 26, an > article about Anting by John Belbin and an illustration of a crow > stirring up a nest. Cheers, Jean > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > To: *NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>* > From: *"James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>* > Subject: *[NatureNS] re "anting" by crows and > other birds* > Date sent: *Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:24:28 -0300* > Send reply to: *naturens@chebucto.ns.ca* > > This sounds very much like "anting", a well-known behaviour of a > variety of birds. When indulging it this behaviour, individual birds > find an ant nest and purposely sit or lie on it with various posturing > and acting as if high on drugs, some say or imagine, while grabbing > individual ants and not eating them but applying them to various parts > of their plumage. As far as I know, the actual function of this > behaviour is purely speculation, but it's possible that it just feels > good, and/or the ants remove ectoparasitic mites or fleas from the > feathers, and/or the formic acid from the ants acts like a repellent > to those ectoparasites for a while? More comments, please? > > Cheers from Jim in Wolfville > > Begin forwarded message: > > *From: *Nancy Roberts <_nancy.roberts@ns.sympatico.ca_ > <mailto:nancy.roberts@ns.sympatico.ca>> > *Date: *June 22, 2010 1:44:55 PM ADT > *To: *_naturens@chebucto.ns.ca_ <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
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