This is a Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), preening its feathers after taking a dip in the bird bath. Preening is an activity that all birds take part in, to keep their feathers in tip-top shape.

The act of preening enables birds to eliminate dirt and parasites from their feathers. It helps in repairing splits in feathers by reconnecting the individual strands or barbs of the feathers together again.

Most birds also have a preen glad at the base of their tail which they rub their bills against and then rub the bills against their feathers. This helps to keep their feathers in good shape and also helps to keep their feathers waterproof.

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