How come a magpie's feathers stay so white?

[Nick]

Ok, so how is it that a magpie, a bird that lives outdoors all the time, has such pristine white feathers?

I mean, they're out all year round yet they manage to keep their white feathers dazzling white, but when I painted the sill on my back door with a bit of white gloss, every damn insect in the neighbourhood decided to get himself stuck on it...

[Lee H]

Maybe they secrete an oil from their skin that "coats" the feathers causing all dirt and dust etc to be easily washed off

Or.. they go and steal washing powders as they steal EVERYTHING else and wash themselves at night in birdbaths.

[Tifosi]

I suppose they're a bit like Vaul..

covered in teflon so nothing sticks to them

hmmm I wonder if you could patent a teflon winshield that could be interesting. Although I don't think teflon paint would work well, how would you load the brush.

[Allen]

And how are you supposed to see through a teflon coated windshield? You'd have to drive like Ace Ventura!

"Liiiike aaaa glooooooooova"

[Atomic]

Cos they aint dirty buggers like pigeons.

[Galant]

Oils on their feathers like ducks?

[shiato storm]

i think they keep it clean via a behaviour known as preening...genius!

[Nick]

SO what you're all saying is that in order to keep my back step white until its dry I've got to coat it in teflon, wash it and preen it?

[silent ben]

well i'm gonna assume that you dont wanta lick the bugs off it, so it looks like teflon or washing

[0iD]

Dry cleaning, natch.