Are birds waterproof?

[Cocolapew]

I'm sitting looking at 3 wood pigeons sitting in a tree in the lashing rain.
It's a bare branch, why don't they go into where there's more coverage?
Does it not annoy them?
I'm getting pissed off on their behalf

Meant to put this in chat

More water resistant.

They have a gland called the preen gland which secretes a waxy substance, that they spread onto themselves. Like treating a waxed jacket.

Well, at least you didn't do the voting thing, hey?

They can make them waterproof apparently using a gland but they are not waterproof althoughI imagine penguins are waterproof

Where is the gland? Can they wax their heads?

But actually, whilst their feathers are only water resistant, their skin is waterproof I 'spose - like ours is.

Maybe sea birds are more glandular ?

I would think so Mrsjayy. I presume ducks are.

More water resistant.

Exactly what I was going to say

Penguins have micro-bubbles in their feathers that surround them and they can release to lubricate their passage through the water or give them a boost onto land.

Surely all animals are "waterproof" - if not we'd all absorb water like sponges everytime we got wet?

Google says that sea birds also have denser feathers making it harder for water to penetrate.
I should have just googled this really...

Micro bubbles you say

The gland is near the Base of their tail. They can reach their head back and spread it on most of their body, but actually maybe there IS a bit of their head that they can't reach ? I don't know, but I can ask a bird expert.

I do know that notquite all birds have it - I think the ostrich family don't. And that's why Emu's hair always looked so shit and dry.

Actually, maybe I'm not really on the obese side - I've just not squeezed out all the water I absorbed during my daily shower...........

I think ducks are not sure about others

Well I guessed they weren't sponge-like, they'd fall out of the tree otherwise but thought it might be annoying sitting there with soaking feathers.

Google is boring random chat on a wednesday afternoon is much better. Well if birds didn't have some waterproofing they wouldn't be able to fly their wings would be too heavy

The rain has stopped and they are all poofy now.

Loving this thread and the bloody-minded pigeons sitting defiantly in the rain

Best thread title ever.

Surely all animals are "waterproof" - if not we'd all absorb water like sponges everytime we got wet?

But we do absorb water don’t we? I thought that wrinkled fingers and softer nails after a bath etc were because we had absorbed water.

Are they all moaning now about how they only straightened their feathers this morning and now they're all frizzy?

I've seen wood pigeons sit on the bird table in the rain and lift each wing in turn as if they are washing their armpits(wingpits?).

Wrinkly fingers are cool. They are to give us more grip to pull shellfish off rocks and stuff when we're wet.

Evolution innit.