What bird enjoys taking "dirt baths"?

[super70s]

Over the years I've noticed there's a certain type of bird that likes
to flail around in a thin patch of loose dirt beside the road in front
of my house. I don't know what benefit it gets from it because it
doesn't seem to be foraging for food. It's about the size of a Cardinal
except a little fatter, light brown with light underparts. I was
thinking it might be a Brown Thrasher or a Wood Thrush.

[Leon Fisk]

On Thu, 16 Jul 2020 16:18:17 -0500

Post by super70s
Over the years I've noticed there's a certain type of bird that likes
to flail around in a thin patch of loose dirt beside the road in front
of my house. I don't know what benefit it gets from it because it
doesn't seem to be foraging for food. It's about the size of a Cardinal
except a little fatter, light brown with light underparts. I was
thinking it might be a Brown Thrasher or a Wood Thrush.

It's pretty common. See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_bathing

[Savageduck]

Post by super70s
Over the years I've noticed there's a certain type of bird that likes
to flail around in a thin patch of loose dirt beside the road in front
of my house. I don't know what benefit it gets from it because it
doesn't seem to be foraging for food. It's about the size of a Cardinal
except a little fatter, light brown with light underparts. I was
thinking it might be a Brown Thrasher or a Wood Thrush.

In my yard the most common dirt bathers are California Quail.

Of course Quail are not easily mistaken for Thrashers, or Thrush so I doubt that they are your dirt bathing birds.

[jmcquown]

Over the years I've noticed there's a certain type of bird that likes to
flail around in a thin patch of loose dirt beside the road in front of
my house. I don't know what benefit it gets from it because it doesn't
seem to be foraging for food. It's about the size of a Cardinal except a
little fatter, light brown with light underparts. I was thinking it
might be a Brown Thrasher or a Wood Thrush.

They're taking a "dust bath".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_bathing

The reason they do that is to smother any mites and other bugs that are
otherwise making the birds itch like crazy. Instinctual, I"m sure.

Good luck on the search for which of those birds might be using your dirt.

The birds I've seen taking "dust baths" in my back yard in South
Carolina were some form of finch. Red or House finch. The sandy soil
was very dry.

Jill

[super70s]

Well at least I found out there's a method to their madness! I did not
realize this habit was so common across so many bird species, even has
it's own Wiki page.

Still wiggling around in the dirt on a day that must have a 100 degree
heat index does not seem appealing, but maybe the dirt helps them cool
down somehow. Also shows what hardy creatures they can be sometimes.

Thanks everyone for your input.