Splish splash, I was taking a bath
Long about a Saturday night

Mid-afternoon, today. A Robin (Turdus migratorius), looking much like it is seriously hesitating. Should it get into the water? After all the temperature is a very cold 27°. Despite very cold weather birds will still bathe.

Somehow birds know that they’ve got to keep their feathers clean and in good condition no matter what the season. Getting their feathers moist makes dirt easier to remove and the feathers easier to preen too. If water isn’t around but there is snow, a bird will bathe using that snow for cleaning its feathers.

After bathing the bird will preen, which involves adjusting its feathers just so, and spreading oil from the preen gland to waterproof those feathers. All that, yes, but the best thing is that splishing and splashing.