Feather care Feathers become worn and dirty with use and are often infested with parasites. Birds spend a lot of time caring for their plumage. They do this by preening – using their beak as a comb – oiling, powdering, and bathing, both in water and in dust. Dust baths Bathing in dust helps to clean a bird’s plumage by scouring dirt from the feathers. Helpful ants Jays sometimes encourage ants to swarm over their feathers. An acid produced by the ants may dislodge parasites in the jay’s plumage. Feather-locking system Powdered plumage Egrets, herons, and some other birds have special feathers that disintegrate to form a powder. This powder is used to keep the plumage in good condition. Barbule Hook Catch Barb A surface for flight To work effectively, a flight feather has to form a single continuous surface for air to flow over. This surface or vane is produced by thousands of barbules. These lie on either side of each barb and lock together as hooks and catches. Feather tip Notch reduces turbulence