Feathers are of ultimate importance to birds — crucial for flying, protection from rain, heat and cold and, during nesting season, attracting mates and defending territories. No wonder, then, that ...

We are likely all familiar with preening, the well-known and important bird behavior that helps maintain feather health and hygiene. But what is allopreening? Put simply, allopreening is birds ...

Scientists discovered that the preen oil gland secretions, by which all aquatic birds make their feathers waterproof, support a natural mechanism that concentrates AIVs from water onto birds' bodies.

Seabirds called common murres appear to use preening as a way to negotiate whose turn it is to watch their chick and who must find food. And when one parent is feeling foul, irregularities in this ...