Bathing

Bathing is important for the health and well being of all birds. Birds in the wild can bathe in the rain, in standing water and, in some cases, in dust. Birds living with humans need help to bathe.
Companion birds often need some help learning how to bathe. Some will like to bathe a great deal and and some will be reluctant bathers. My Charly is a fairly reluctant bather, but when she decides to bathe she bathes enthusiastically for quite some and ends up totally soaked. This helps control the powder produced by her powder down feathers, cleanses her feathers and skin and encourages her to preen her feathers vigorously.
If your bird can be safely outdoors you can try going out in a light rain, use a spray bottle or a gentle sprayer attached to a hose. In all cases, the water should be landing on the bird from above. This is how birds bathe in the rain and, in my opinion, seems to waken something in most birds that drives them to bathe and enjoy doing so.
Indoors you can share your shower with your bird or allow a large bird to play in an inch or so of water in the tub or under gently running warm water from the sink faucet. Such activities must be constantly supervised to assure the bird is safe.
Another method of helping your bird to bathe involved misting them with a sprayer bottle of warm water. Use a bottle that has never contained anything but water as birds are very sensitive to a wide range of chemicals. Aim the spray above the bird so the water falls like rain. You might find that when your bird sees you coming with the spray bottle (s)he starts dunking their head in their water cup to get a head-start on bathing.
If your bird is not in the mood to bathe they will let you know with their body language - they'll move away from the water. But if your bird gets into bathing, (s)he will extent her wings and turn to make certain that she gets wet all over...And don't be surprised by how long the bird wants to bathe. I've watched a friend's Moluccan Cockatoo bathe in the sink for a solid half hour.
The photos at the top of today's entry show Charly on her shower perch enjoying a bath.

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