What is the word to describe a bird organizing its feathers?





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Which verb most accurately and commonly describes a bird's daily behavior to make its feathers clean and organized.




  • "organize" its feathers


  • "brush" its feathers


  • "clean" its feathers?











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  • Thanks for the fantastic question, new user. Just for your information, we have a special tag for this - SWR. The site is famous for it!
    – Fattie
    Nov 24 at 4:20






  • 2




    as is 'to plume'
    – lbf
    Nov 24 at 14:49

















up vote
16
down vote

favorite
3












Which verb most accurately and commonly describes a bird's daily behavior to make its feathers clean and organized.




  • "organize" its feathers


  • "brush" its feathers


  • "clean" its feathers?











share|improve this question
























  • Thanks for the fantastic question, new user. Just for your information, we have a special tag for this - SWR. The site is famous for it!
    – Fattie
    Nov 24 at 4:20






  • 2




    as is 'to plume'
    – lbf
    Nov 24 at 14:49













up vote
16
down vote

favorite
3









up vote
16
down vote

favorite
3






3





Which verb most accurately and commonly describes a bird's daily behavior to make its feathers clean and organized.




  • "organize" its feathers


  • "brush" its feathers


  • "clean" its feathers?











share|improve this question















Which verb most accurately and commonly describes a bird's daily behavior to make its feathers clean and organized.




  • "organize" its feathers


  • "brush" its feathers


  • "clean" its feathers?








single-word-requests verbs animal






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share|improve this question













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edited Nov 29 at 15:51









choster

36.2k1481132




36.2k1481132










asked Nov 23 at 21:03









cdhit

813




813












  • Thanks for the fantastic question, new user. Just for your information, we have a special tag for this - SWR. The site is famous for it!
    – Fattie
    Nov 24 at 4:20






  • 2




    as is 'to plume'
    – lbf
    Nov 24 at 14:49


















  • Thanks for the fantastic question, new user. Just for your information, we have a special tag for this - SWR. The site is famous for it!
    – Fattie
    Nov 24 at 4:20






  • 2




    as is 'to plume'
    – lbf
    Nov 24 at 14:49
















Thanks for the fantastic question, new user. Just for your information, we have a special tag for this - SWR. The site is famous for it!
– Fattie
Nov 24 at 4:20




Thanks for the fantastic question, new user. Just for your information, we have a special tag for this - SWR. The site is famous for it!
– Fattie
Nov 24 at 4:20




2




2




as is 'to plume'
– lbf
Nov 24 at 14:49




as is 'to plume'
– lbf
Nov 24 at 14:49










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
49
down vote













The verb is to preen:




[ I or T ] If a bird preens or preens itself, it cleans and arranges its feathers using its beak.




(Cambridge Dictionary)



enter image description here



preening macaw parrot



From (blog.parrotessentials.co.uk)






share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    A question. An answer. This mustn't be the internet.
    – Fattie
    Nov 24 at 4:18










  • undeleted now ?
    – lbf
    Nov 29 at 14:10










  • @lbf - apparently so, not by myself, though.
    – user240918
    Nov 29 at 14:16


















up vote
3
down vote













To preen is the primo answer. OED provided by @user240918




intransitive. Of a bird: to tend its feathers with its beak,
arranging, cleaning, and generally maintaining them.




consideration to alternatives:



to plume OED




b. Of a bird: to preen or trim (the feathers or wings). Also fig.
(frequently with the suggestion of preparation for something, as a
bird preens prior to flight).




As in:




1998 Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News (Nexis) Delap admired the bird
as it clambered out on the ice and plumed its feathers ...




to groom OED




transitive. Of an animal: to clean the skin, hair, etc., of (another
of its family or group). Also reflexive: to clean and tidy itself.




As in: Social Psychology google books




If all birds in an interacting population were to operate on a rule of
uncontingent altruism, things would go well for them; each individual
would sometimes bear the costs of grooming and sometimes enjoy the
benefits of being groomed.







share|improve this answer























  • Why discount preen? It is the primo answer...
    – Jim
    Nov 24 at 18:33






  • 1




    @Jim I agree! 46 upvotes ... then it's deleted!
    – lbf
    Nov 24 at 19:20






  • 1




    Oh! I see. Was on my phone so didn’t see the deleted answer. :-). I have voted to undelete.
    – Jim
    Nov 24 at 19:24













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2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes








2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
49
down vote













The verb is to preen:




[ I or T ] If a bird preens or preens itself, it cleans and arranges its feathers using its beak.




(Cambridge Dictionary)



enter image description here



preening macaw parrot



From (blog.parrotessentials.co.uk)






share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    A question. An answer. This mustn't be the internet.
    – Fattie
    Nov 24 at 4:18










  • undeleted now ?
    – lbf
    Nov 29 at 14:10










  • @lbf - apparently so, not by myself, though.
    – user240918
    Nov 29 at 14:16















up vote
49
down vote













The verb is to preen:




[ I or T ] If a bird preens or preens itself, it cleans and arranges its feathers using its beak.




(Cambridge Dictionary)



enter image description here



preening macaw parrot



From (blog.parrotessentials.co.uk)






share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    A question. An answer. This mustn't be the internet.
    – Fattie
    Nov 24 at 4:18










  • undeleted now ?
    – lbf
    Nov 29 at 14:10










  • @lbf - apparently so, not by myself, though.
    – user240918
    Nov 29 at 14:16













up vote
49
down vote










up vote
49
down vote









The verb is to preen:




[ I or T ] If a bird preens or preens itself, it cleans and arranges its feathers using its beak.




(Cambridge Dictionary)



enter image description here



preening macaw parrot



From (blog.parrotessentials.co.uk)






share|improve this answer














The verb is to preen:




[ I or T ] If a bird preens or preens itself, it cleans and arranges its feathers using its beak.




(Cambridge Dictionary)



enter image description here



preening macaw parrot



From (blog.parrotessentials.co.uk)







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited Nov 23 at 21:15

























answered Nov 23 at 21:04









user240918

24.1k967146




24.1k967146








  • 1




    A question. An answer. This mustn't be the internet.
    – Fattie
    Nov 24 at 4:18










  • undeleted now ?
    – lbf
    Nov 29 at 14:10










  • @lbf - apparently so, not by myself, though.
    – user240918
    Nov 29 at 14:16














  • 1




    A question. An answer. This mustn't be the internet.
    – Fattie
    Nov 24 at 4:18










  • undeleted now ?
    – lbf
    Nov 29 at 14:10










  • @lbf - apparently so, not by myself, though.
    – user240918
    Nov 29 at 14:16








1




1




A question. An answer. This mustn't be the internet.
– Fattie
Nov 24 at 4:18




A question. An answer. This mustn't be the internet.
– Fattie
Nov 24 at 4:18












undeleted now ?
– lbf
Nov 29 at 14:10




undeleted now ?
– lbf
Nov 29 at 14:10












@lbf - apparently so, not by myself, though.
– user240918
Nov 29 at 14:16




@lbf - apparently so, not by myself, though.
– user240918
Nov 29 at 14:16












up vote
3
down vote













To preen is the primo answer. OED provided by @user240918




intransitive. Of a bird: to tend its feathers with its beak,
arranging, cleaning, and generally maintaining them.




consideration to alternatives:



to plume OED




b. Of a bird: to preen or trim (the feathers or wings). Also fig.
(frequently with the suggestion of preparation for something, as a
bird preens prior to flight).




As in:




1998 Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News (Nexis) Delap admired the bird
as it clambered out on the ice and plumed its feathers ...




to groom OED




transitive. Of an animal: to clean the skin, hair, etc., of (another
of its family or group). Also reflexive: to clean and tidy itself.




As in: Social Psychology google books




If all birds in an interacting population were to operate on a rule of
uncontingent altruism, things would go well for them; each individual
would sometimes bear the costs of grooming and sometimes enjoy the
benefits of being groomed.







share|improve this answer























  • Why discount preen? It is the primo answer...
    – Jim
    Nov 24 at 18:33






  • 1




    @Jim I agree! 46 upvotes ... then it's deleted!
    – lbf
    Nov 24 at 19:20






  • 1




    Oh! I see. Was on my phone so didn’t see the deleted answer. :-). I have voted to undelete.
    – Jim
    Nov 24 at 19:24

















up vote
3
down vote













To preen is the primo answer. OED provided by @user240918




intransitive. Of a bird: to tend its feathers with its beak,
arranging, cleaning, and generally maintaining them.




consideration to alternatives:



to plume OED




b. Of a bird: to preen or trim (the feathers or wings). Also fig.
(frequently with the suggestion of preparation for something, as a
bird preens prior to flight).




As in:




1998 Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News (Nexis) Delap admired the bird
as it clambered out on the ice and plumed its feathers ...




to groom OED




transitive. Of an animal: to clean the skin, hair, etc., of (another
of its family or group). Also reflexive: to clean and tidy itself.




As in: Social Psychology google books




If all birds in an interacting population were to operate on a rule of
uncontingent altruism, things would go well for them; each individual
would sometimes bear the costs of grooming and sometimes enjoy the
benefits of being groomed.







share|improve this answer























  • Why discount preen? It is the primo answer...
    – Jim
    Nov 24 at 18:33






  • 1




    @Jim I agree! 46 upvotes ... then it's deleted!
    – lbf
    Nov 24 at 19:20






  • 1




    Oh! I see. Was on my phone so didn’t see the deleted answer. :-). I have voted to undelete.
    – Jim
    Nov 24 at 19:24















up vote
3
down vote










up vote
3
down vote









To preen is the primo answer. OED provided by @user240918




intransitive. Of a bird: to tend its feathers with its beak,
arranging, cleaning, and generally maintaining them.




consideration to alternatives:



to plume OED




b. Of a bird: to preen or trim (the feathers or wings). Also fig.
(frequently with the suggestion of preparation for something, as a
bird preens prior to flight).




As in:




1998 Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News (Nexis) Delap admired the bird
as it clambered out on the ice and plumed its feathers ...




to groom OED




transitive. Of an animal: to clean the skin, hair, etc., of (another
of its family or group). Also reflexive: to clean and tidy itself.




As in: Social Psychology google books




If all birds in an interacting population were to operate on a rule of
uncontingent altruism, things would go well for them; each individual
would sometimes bear the costs of grooming and sometimes enjoy the
benefits of being groomed.







share|improve this answer














To preen is the primo answer. OED provided by @user240918




intransitive. Of a bird: to tend its feathers with its beak,
arranging, cleaning, and generally maintaining them.




consideration to alternatives:



to plume OED




b. Of a bird: to preen or trim (the feathers or wings). Also fig.
(frequently with the suggestion of preparation for something, as a
bird preens prior to flight).




As in:




1998 Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News (Nexis) Delap admired the bird
as it clambered out on the ice and plumed its feathers ...




to groom OED




transitive. Of an animal: to clean the skin, hair, etc., of (another
of its family or group). Also reflexive: to clean and tidy itself.




As in: Social Psychology google books




If all birds in an interacting population were to operate on a rule of
uncontingent altruism, things would go well for them; each individual
would sometimes bear the costs of grooming and sometimes enjoy the
benefits of being groomed.








share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited Nov 29 at 14:30

























answered Nov 24 at 15:19









lbf

16.6k21561




16.6k21561












  • Why discount preen? It is the primo answer...
    – Jim
    Nov 24 at 18:33






  • 1




    @Jim I agree! 46 upvotes ... then it's deleted!
    – lbf
    Nov 24 at 19:20






  • 1




    Oh! I see. Was on my phone so didn’t see the deleted answer. :-). I have voted to undelete.
    – Jim
    Nov 24 at 19:24




















  • Why discount preen? It is the primo answer...
    – Jim
    Nov 24 at 18:33






  • 1




    @Jim I agree! 46 upvotes ... then it's deleted!
    – lbf
    Nov 24 at 19:20






  • 1




    Oh! I see. Was on my phone so didn’t see the deleted answer. :-). I have voted to undelete.
    – Jim
    Nov 24 at 19:24


















Why discount preen? It is the primo answer...
– Jim
Nov 24 at 18:33




Why discount preen? It is the primo answer...
– Jim
Nov 24 at 18:33




1




1




@Jim I agree! 46 upvotes ... then it's deleted!
– lbf
Nov 24 at 19:20




@Jim I agree! 46 upvotes ... then it's deleted!
– lbf
Nov 24 at 19:20




1




1




Oh! I see. Was on my phone so didn’t see the deleted answer. :-). I have voted to undelete.
– Jim
Nov 24 at 19:24






Oh! I see. Was on my phone so didn’t see the deleted answer. :-). I have voted to undelete.
– Jim
Nov 24 at 19:24




















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