dust-bath

British  

noun

1. the action of a bird of driving dust into its feathers, which may dislodge parasites

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dust-bath

Lady farm-help, being shown her new duties, notices fowls having dust-bath.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 153, October 3, 1917 by Various

Paths and roads are highly scratchable objects, hence they are largely resorted to for food; further, they are used for the purpose of the daily dust-bath in which every self-respecting fowl indulges.

From Birds of the Indian Hills by Dewar, Douglas

Overhead the chicken-hawk is the only creature at work, and his shrill kite-like call sends the gaping chickens from the dust-bath in haste to their mothers.

From Letters of Travel (1892-1913) by Kipling, Rudyard

When her brood begins to lag and pine, the wild mother knows, and leading them to some old ant-hill, she gives them a sousing dust-bath.

From Children's Literature A Textbook of Sources for Teachers and Teacher-Training Classes by Clippinger, Erle Elsworth

I dwell with a strangely aching heart In that vanished abode there far apart On that disused and forgotten road That has no dust-bath now for the toad.

From A Boy's Will by Frost, Robert