Some time ago, when walking my dog, we passed by an area that used to be a garden.  Now, there are just weeds growing there.   Nothing extraordinary.  Then I took a double look.  I saw a sparrow rolling around in the dirt, in a little hole that he had curved out with his body.

The bird rolled this way and than that way.  He fluttered his wings and was so involved in what he was doing that he didn’t even notice me.  He looked like he was having a good ole’ time.  Unfortunately, that day, I didn’t have my camera with me.  I would have loved to take a photo of him.

Puzzled by his behavior, I asked Abraham Lincoln about it and learned that the bird was taking a dust bath.  Apparently, there are many other animals (like horses and dogs) that roll around in the dust.  It helps with lice and mites.  From Abraham, I learned the buffalo used to do the same thing.  Buffalo!  The indentations they left in the ground can still be seen today and are called Buffalo Wallows.  I found that fascinating!

Anywho, I went back to the location of the sparrow bath spa.  Unfortunately it has rained for the past two weeks and the ground is not as dusty as it was before.  I haven’t seen the sparrows bathing there again.  However, they did leave behind indentations in the ground where they bathed.  Do you see it in the photo?  I hope so.

Paz