Where Do Birds Go In The Rain? - Bird Spot

Although birds may take shelter under shrubs and bushes when it starts to rain, that is only a short-term solution to keeping dry. Birds need to eat regularly, and to do so means that at some point they are going to have to venture out into the open. A bird may be able to hide from the rain for a couple of hours but during a longer shower or storm, it will need to get wet or face starvation.

Birds’ feathers are fairly waterproof, and rain tends to hit the surface and roll away without being absorbed into their skin. In light showers, you will see birds fluff up their feathers to keep warm, while in heavy rain, they will flatten down their feathers to make them even more water-resistant.

Many birds are also able to preen their feathers with a layer of water-resistant oil to give them further protection. They tuck their bills into oil glands located at the base of their tails and then spread the oil on their body with their beaks.

In heavy rain, birds adopt a classic posture with their bodies upright and heads withdrawn and their beaks pointed up towards the rain. This position allows them to conserve as much energy as possible as well as minimise the rain’s contact with their body so that raindrops slide off them. You may also see birds huddled together not only to keep warm but also to prevent rain from hitting them.

Some birds will even take baths in the rain, particularly in hot countries where there could be long periods of drought. They will perch on the tops of trees or the ends of branches and splay their tail feathers and wings to take full advantage of the rain falling on them, vigorously shaking themselves now and again to remove any excess water. Once the rain has stopped they will preen themselves and dry their feathers in the sun.

Most birds can fly, at least short distances, in the rain using the preen oil to protect their feathers. Larger birds and waterfowl such as gulls, geese, ducks, and swans are often seen flying when it rains, although in torrential rain, their wings may eventually get saturated with water making it difficult to fly and leaving them more vulnerable to predators.

Flying in the rain also expends a lot more energy, so most birds prefer to wait until it is dry before they take to the air.