This one's really off-topic, but I found it interesting.
I was alarmed a while ago when I found more than one of these Steller's Jays apparently disabled in our backyard, near the bird feeding stations. My first thought that maybe a neighborhood kid had shot it with a BB gun.
I was really relieved when an acquaintance told me that they were simply "anting." It turns out that wild birds are subject to lice infections, and this is the way they clean up. Not only are the birds not afraid of ants, they actually welcome their visits. The ants love to eat lice. So it's a win-win situation. The ants are happy to get a good meal, and the birds are happy to get rid of the lice.
So if you see this happening in your backyard, you don't need to rush out to help the bird. It's not hurt.
