Part of the cormorant sun-bathing behaviour is known to be to do with
warming their stomach contents. Vultures also sun themselves, and their
flight feathers, in the morning before flight. Water seems unlikely to
be involved there.
Cheers,
Adrian
On Thursday, October 2, 2003, at 04:16 PM, Christian Hamm wrote:
> It may well be that waterproof/oiled feathers are the key to keep the
> feathers functionally intact (at least if this function consists in the
> ability to fly) - some birds, for instance cormorants and relatives,
> allow wetting of their feathers for underwater performance. These birds
> carefully dry their feathers after their dives, but is it unfavourable
> structure or unfavourable material properties which makes this
> necessary? And does wetting improve these properties for the purpose of
> swimming under water?
>
> all the best,
>
> Christian
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