# Why do birds suddenly flail around in the dirt?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 23, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918 "2005-12-23T02:42:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/1 "2005-12-23T02:42:58Z")
I was in Central Park with some friends (because I do have friends. I just wanted everyone to know that), and we observed many little birds twitching in the sand/dirt/whatever on the sidewalk. Why do birds do that? Are they just dumb or something?
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/2 "2005-12-23T02:46:02Z")
It’s called dust bathing. Birds take periodic dust baths to help clean their feathers of parasites, like ticks and mites, which could otherwise make the bird get sick.
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### Author:  [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/3 "2005-12-23T03:20:54Z")
> [@DuhCow](#):
>
> Are they just dumb or something?
You’re asking that with a username like **DuhCow**? 😃
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### Author:  [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/4 "2005-12-23T03:22:06Z")
Our hedgehog used to do it, too. In its litter pan. Oh, well. He seemed to have a good time.
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### Author:  [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/5 "2005-12-23T03:56:03Z")
> [@Savannah](#):
>
> Our hedgehog used to do it, too. In its litter pan. Oh, well. He seemed to have a good time.
Degus need dustbaths to keep their fur nice.
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### Author:  [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/6 "2005-12-23T03:59:44Z")
I should say that they _also_ need dust to keep their fur nice. I wasn’t trying to imply that hedgehogs and degus were the same thing. My point with all of this is, of course, to point out that there are a large number of animals that use dust and dirt to clean themselves.
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### Author:  [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/7 "2005-12-23T04:54:04Z")
And they don’t do it “suddenly” either. They take their time; sit there and make a conscious decision to start doing it. You make it sounds like they are so impulsive!
😉
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/8 "2005-12-23T05:30:54Z")
> [@Good Egg](#):
>
> And they don’t do it “suddenly” either. They take their time; sit there and make a conscious decision to start doing it. You make it sounds like they are so impulsive!
> 😉
I took it as a joke on the syrupy old Carpenters song that started out, “Why do birds suddenly appear…” _Close To You,_ or something.
Here’s an apology to the folks who are now trying :smack: to dislodge an aggressive ear worm.
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### Author:  [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/9 "2005-12-23T14:56:59Z")
> [@DuhCow](#):
>
> Are they just dumb or something?
Yeah, they are quite birdbrained, I hear. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/10 "2005-12-23T15:44:20Z")
> [@DuhCow](#):
>
> Why do birds do that? Are they just dumb or something?
Something.
Yes! I answered a general question!
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/11 "2005-12-23T15:50:39Z")
I’ve noticed that ashes are very attractive to birds for this purpose.
Like old fireplace ashes.
Perhaps the alkalinity kills the bugs?
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/12 "2005-12-23T22:41:03Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#):
>
> I’ve noticed that ashes are very attractive to birds for this purpose.
> Like old fireplace ashes.
> Perhaps the alkalinity kills the bugs?
No, it’s the dustiness. It gets into the bugs’ joints and binds up the motion. Then, they stand there, like the Tin Woodsman, calling out “oil can!” in their tiny pitiful bug voices.
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### Author:  [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2005, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/13 "2005-12-24T00:27:49Z")
My neighborhood birds do this in the bird bath. Strange, but 9 out of 10 just stop by for a drink. The bathing birds splash like little kids, and damn near empty it every time. I put up a sign that says ‘drinking only’, but they don’t listen. Bastards.
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### Author:  [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-birds-suddenly-flail-around-in-the-dirt/336918/14 "2005-12-24T01:55:06Z")
> [@ltfire](#):
>
> My neighborhood birds do this in the bird bath. Strange, but 9 out of 10 just stop by for a drink. The bathing birds splash like little kids, and damn near empty it every time. I put up a sign that says ‘drinking only’, but they don’t listen. Bastards.
That’s why they’re called bird _baths_ 😛