Why do birds take dust baths?

House Sparrow taking a dust bath (photo by Vishnevskiy Vasily via Shutterstock)
House sparrow taking a dust bath by Vishnevskiy Vasily via Shutterstock

26 August 2009

Someone asked the other day,  “Why do birds fluff themselves in the dust?”   The question arose because our ubiquitous city birds – house sparrows – are champions of dust baths. 

House sparrows prefer very fine dust and will flap up a storm when they find a patch of it.  They dig a hollow with their feet, push their bellies into the dust and toss it under their wings and over their backs as if it was water.  Their goal is to get the dust into their feathers and all the way down to their skin.  When they’re suitably coated they shake off the dust and preen it away until their feathers are in good condition again. 

Why go to this trouble?  Dust smothers skin and feather parasites and absorbs excess oil that’s removed as the dust is preened away.  Did you know you can clean your hair using powder?  It’s the same idea. 

House sparrows take dust baths even when water is available.  Maybe the first house sparrow came from a desert climate.  After all, their Paleolithic fossils have been found in Ouum-Qatafa Cave in the Judean Desert. 

This summer we’ve had so much rain the house sparrows must be hard pressed to find any dry dirt.  They might have to use my bird bath after all.

(photo of a house sparrow taking a dust bath by Vishnevskiy Vasily via Shutterstock)

56 thoughts on “Why do birds take dust baths?

  1. Thanks for this explanation! I’ve never seen the sparrows do this before until today.

    The past couple of days I have been weeding my long-neglected yard. This afternoon, I came home after running an errand to find six sparrows enjoying dirt baths, each small bird sitting in its own little depression of soil once inhabited by a weed. The birds vigorously flapped their wings and kicked up quite a dust cloud, chirping in joy as they did so. A seventh bird flew in to join the group, but tried to oust one of the bathers out of its bath. The two birds scuffled for a while, with wings beating frantically amidst loud chirping. The interloper was rebuffed, and found a dirt depression of its own. Peace was restored and the joyous bathing resumed.

  2. I was standing at my kitchen sink today washing dishes and noticed a lone sparrow seemingly digging a depression into some loose soil under a small magnolia tree by my patio. There were other sparrows around but, this little guy was taking the lead with his task. Then I watched him flapping about in the depression he made and kicking up the dust. I had never seen that before until today! So naturally I had to google to find out what and why he was doing that. Thank you for your explanation. I’ve noticed that the other sparrows are following suit now as well. It makes for something interesting to look at whilst I do the dishes. Thanks!

    1. I just saw a sparrow doing this. I had to Google it also because I had never seen this before. Quite amazing creatures. God gave them the instincts to do what they need to to take care of themselves. Was quite fascinating to watch.

    2. Today I too was standing at my kitchen sink and saw about six sparrows flapping and kicking dust all over themselves. I had never seen this before so “quite naturally” I too had to Google it and found this post. Thank you.

  3. I am glad that I found this site which gives me an explanation as it has been worrying me as sparrows are doing this and messing up my lawn. I developed some bad patches in the lawn and the grass does not come back as the sparrows continuously make their holes and borrow in so that only their head sticks out. They shake themselves around vigorously and create their own little dust bowl. It is quite cute and I appreciate now why they do it. I thought they were attracted to insects in the ground. Now I just have to find a way of keep the sparrows and my lawn!

    1. I was the same. never seen the sparrows doing that with the muck before. Unfortunately I had to go onto Google to see why they were doing it. Now I know.

  4. I, too, saw some sparrows outside my window at work digging and tossing the dry, powdery dirt onto themselves today. It was cute and fun to see. They seemed to be having a great time. I look out this window every day and have been for years, but this was a first for me. Thanks for the great explanation!

  5. Same as the others, I did a quick Google search for an explanation of the behavior. I was watching a variety of birds enjoying the bird bath and bird food in the backyard when I heard several birds near my front door – I looked out and observed sparrows bouncing around in a landscaping area. They were chasing each other around and then several started burrowing into the dirt/mulch and tossing it over themselves. They also pecked at it so I thought they were searching for ants/insects but now I know it’s a dirt bath! Thank you for the explanation!

  6. Thanks for the info. Im sitting here in my carwatching birds and thr sparrows are taking dust baths. I always wonderef about this.

  7. Just as I thought! I knew the birds did that to get rid of something that’s crawling around in their feathers. Growing up in Queens NY, I witnessed the same thing with the little sparrows. At first I thought they were marking their territory to get girlfriends/boyfriends. Now I have chickens (I now live in Washington state) and they do the same thing. It’s really fun to watch them do that. At least for me.

  8. Like everybody else here, I saw this the other day in the dust under an urban tree and got here by Google. There were four birds sitting in wells in the dust, flapping around–never saw that before!

    So, thanks!

  9. Amazing little birds, these sparrows. I enjoyed watching their dirt baths yesterday. I guess all God’s creatures are amazing when you think about it!

  10. Thanks for the explanation, I had noticed when I went into the garden to continue clearing that there were dips in the dry soil. I have just finished clearing the rest of the front garden of weeds and long grass, I now only have bushes which have been cut back, I looked out the window to admire my work and low and behold I had a flock of birds having a dust bath, thinking they might need a drink I cut a large juice bottle length ways to make a bath they just loved it I was going to put bark down but I think I will leave a space for the birds to bathe.I think my grandson will enjoy watching them when he comes to visit.

    I did wonder why the birds went through this ritual, I have now been enlightened, many thanks.

  11. I have a rather large House Sparrow community in my backyard. They can be a pain sometimes but I do enjoy watching them take dust baths.

    Years ago I set up a squared enclosure specifically for dust bathing. I thoroughly raked the dirt clean of rocks, sticks and other riffraff and hollowed out eight grooves for the Sparrows to bathe in. Every couple years I gather as much of the loose dirt/dust as I can and filter it through an old sifter to make the dust even finer. A deluxe 8-bath dust bath.

    I was just watching about twenty or so Sparrows enjoying the baths and kicking up a massive dust cloud in the process. Sometimes the rabbits will roll in it too. Make one for your yard. You’ll enjoy it!

    Thank you for the explanation on why they bathe in the dust.

  12. I have a sparrow as a pet in my room I raced him but now his always under the covers instead of looking out the window like he used to

    1. Amber, perhaps something outside the window frightened him — or something else is wrong which I can’t diagnose over the Internet. If this persists I suggest you take him to a rehabber. I hope he is a house sparrow. If he is any other kind of bird it is illegal to keep him without a permit.

    1. Amber, I guess you’ll have to observe carefully and watch to see what triggers his reaction. The other birds might give a clue — parrots make lots of noise when they see danger.

  13. The other day after returning from the grocery store and turning my car off, I looked up to notice at the end of a neighbors driveway the cutest scene of about six little sparrows taking a dust bath! I have never seen that before or that they even did that. I sat there for a few minutes and watched while I giggled to myself at their sweet animated way of digging, dusting, fluttering, and rolling. And like a fellow blogger, I noticed that when a little stranger would enter the group, they would not be so sure if he would be welcomed. After all there was a lot of work making that little area, his or her own. The world’s little creatures are so innocent and so cute!

  14. I enjoyed all the info. and I love birds but the sparrows at my house have destroyed the grass just off my porch and it looks awful. What can I do to stop them? I think they only do it in the AM early but they are ruining my landscaping. Please help.

    1. Mary farmer, the answer depends on where you live? What state do you live in?

    2. You can buy a roll of reflective tape, cut 12-18 inch strips and attach to sticks or thin wooden dowels so that the bottom of the strips are 2-3 inches off the ground. Stick the dowels into the ground in the area you don’t want the birds.

  15. I have been watching the sparrows around my feeder make little concave holes in the ground and then flap their wings like they were in water. I decided to “google” this and immediately found your posting. Great information, thanks so much! Not sure why any creature would want a dirt bath, but to each their own! Learned something anyway.

  16. I just looked out my kitchen window and saw about 8 or 9 birds dust bathing. I had never seen birds do that before. I’m so glad I found your website to find out why. Thank you!

  17. The sparrows are making too many indents on my lawn. I do not have grass but other plants and every time I plant anything they get dug up by this bathing on my lawn. What can I put down around my plants to deter them doing this?

  18. When my mom was doing the dishes I asked why are finches taking mud baths and she said no those are sparrows taking dust baths and so I typed in on google and went outside and rolled in some dust. I would like to be a bird one day

  19. I to saw the birds doing that so i. Tried it for myself only to get so dirty i had to take a real bath what was i thinking im not a bird lol

  20. I have seen the dust baths but never before today saw a female cardinal and eastern towhee in my asian spice viburnum seemingly wiping their wings on the leaves. Different technique to get rid of parasites?

  21. ??? this made me laugh it caught me off guard and yes i think because it was so off topic thanks for the laugh I hope she healed up well. It is 2020 now lol

  22. Thank-you for enlightening us. I always presumed it was to rid themselves of parasites and was interested to know about the oil control. It is quite fun to watch them!

  23. I just saw the same thing for the very first time whilst cooking and was worried so i googled it and saw this website.
    Thankfully the answers put my worries to rest as its quite fascinating to watch.

  24. I’ve noticed the dust bathing this year for the first time. I had a large tree removed last year and the area where the tree stump was is just dirt – or should I say a bathtub for the birds!

  25. I watched a small bird dragging his belly on my wooden deck. He spread his wings and held his legs straight and flat on the deck behind him. He frolicked as though he was in a bird bath. The sun was blistering hot so the wood would have been very warm. He seemed to be loving the experience. It finally occurred to me to capture the remainder of his ritual with my phone video cam.

    I showed it to my wife who wondered if he might be ill. I told her that he seemed to be enjoying himself and that I thought he might be trying to scratch a belly itch perhaps caused by mites. Your comment legitimizes my hypothesis.

    1. I live in Beaver Dam Wisconsin I just stumbled on this group hopefully somebody can message me back I learned today quite a bit about the sparrow always in the driveway 10 20 but yes I’ve had lots of them I would like to chat with anybody about these wonderful Birds thank you and God bless!

    2. John Miskimins, Thank you for your interest. Alas this is not a chat group, just a blog (kind of like a newsletter).

  26. I was just lounging and scrolling through comments seriously reading and this had me in stitches! ? ??? And the need to tell someone. I love it! Thanks for cheering me up

  27. Thank you for this note. The first time I noticed it was when we removed all the grass from our front lawn to reseed it. We thought the birds were eating the seeds. But we had not planted any yet. Now we are removing the grass from our back yard to install rubber tile mats and they are back at it again. It is fun to watch. I am think, “Look out birdies, the mats will be down soon… Enjoy while you can…”

  28. I was looking out earlier. I had noticed an odd thing sitting on the rim of my bird bath. It sits in a “garden area” that had really grown wild with tall weeds. My had weed eated the area 2 days ago. After I had decided it was a clump of dead weed, it moved. Small fluffy bird was sleeping there. While I watched it 2 sparrows lit in my “gravel” dirt driveway. They rolled around like a cat or dog taking a dirt bath. Stirred up a huge dust cloud. I had never seen this before. So glad google led me to your post. I wasn’t sure they were sparrows and was really delighted by their little display. I have decided the one on my bird bath was a phoebe.

  29. When I bought my house, I was irritated to find the former owners had dumped their grill ashes at the edge of the back patio. However, after beginning to feed birds, I noticed the birds were going crazy for wallowing in the dry ashes. Rabbits will also lay in the ashes in the evening. I suggest if you enjoy wildlife that you provide them with grill ashes as long as there is no grease in it. Between the ashes, bird feeders and fountain my yard is like a small animal club Med.

  30. I’ve had a peachick having a dustbath in my flower bed this afternoon while her mother foraged for food in my garden.I’m not sure if she would be still considered a peachick or a peahen now.We did observe the peachick around September and she was then the size of a tin of beans so it’s nice to see her looking a lot larger and more robust now,I didn’t hear her sweet little cheep that she had last year.

  31. i often see the house sparrows doing this on the beach. i think there might be more house sparrows than seagulls here!

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