The pair of woodpeckers that I see around here in summer, were at my house late afternoon (they are Northern flickers).
One of them was rolling around in the dirt, taking a dust bath.
Dust baths are part of a birdβs preening and plumage maintenance routine.
The dust that is worked into the birdβs feathers, absorb excess oil, which can then be shed so that the feathers donβt become too greasy or matted.
The dust can also bring relief from lice, feather mites or parasites.
