Last Friday, 9 August 2019, Erika and I watched a Pacific-slope Flycatcher bathe in the garden birdbath. The bird’s bathing strategy was unlike anything I have seen before. From a perch on a nearby garden trellis, the flycatcher made repeated dives into the center of the birdbath. After belly-flopping into the water, the bird did not dally, but returned to its perch. There the bird shook off the water and preened, only to repeat the performance several times. Lowther et al. in The Birds of North America (2016) write that, in the ornithological literature, bathing has not been described for Western Flycatchers.
Dan, I've had Empidonax flycatchers bathe in the same way, usually not being able to identify them, as they disappear in the shrubbery after doing so. I've seen other birds do this too, e.g., Golden-crowned Kinglet.
ReplyDeleteDennis Paulson