dust bath

A shallow depression in dry soil where birds — quail, sparrows, turkeys, grouse — roll, fluff, and work dust into their feathers to control parasites. Once you've seen one, dust baths are easy to identify: They're oval depressions in bare, powdery soil, often in sunny spots, with wing impressions fanning outward from the center. They are used communally and repeatedly, the soil worn to a fine flour. A row of dust baths along a trail is a sign of resident birds, not transients.