Which action typically follows a bird bathing?

After a bird bathes, the typical action that follows is preening. This behavior is crucial for maintaining the health of a bird's feathers. During preening, the bird uses its beak to realign and clean its feathers, ensuring that they are in optimal condition. Clean and properly aligned feathers contribute to better insulation and waterproofing, which are vital for the bird's overall well-being and flying capacity.

This sequence of events highlights the importance of grooming in avian life. Bathing helps remove dirt and parasites, while preening allows the bird to apply natural oils from its preen gland that strengthen the feathers. This self-care routine is essential not only for hygiene but also for the bird's survival in the wild as it prepares for flight.

Other options, while they may relate to a bird's behavior, do not specifically follow bathing in the typical sequence. For instance, feeding may occur at various times throughout the day, rousing is a behavior that helps the bird wake up and become alert, and hacking refers to the process of allowing a bird to acclimate to its environment, which generally takes place in a different context.