Anting (behavior)

Anting be a maintenance behavior during wich birds dey rub insects, usually ants, on dema feathers den skin. A bird fi hold a single ant insyd ein beak make e rub over de body, anaa lie insyd an area of high insect density den wallow as wen dust bathing.  Ants secrete chemicals like formic acid make dem aid insyd dema defense against bacteria den parasites. Na dem hypothesize dat formic acid fi help birds avoid similar ailments by acting as a deterrent. Alternatively, anting fi make de insects edible by removing de distasteful acid, anaa possibly supplement de bird ein own preen oil. More dan 200 species of bird be known to participate insyd dis behaviour. Anting fi get a similar function to de mammallian behaviour of self-anointing.

 References 
Category:Bird behavior
Category:Ethology
Category:Ants

External links

 Anting - Description of the behaviour in birds.