Step 1 : Introduction to the question "One of the avian kingdom's courtship rituals sees birds trimming their feathers with their beaks. By what name is this known?"
...Preening is generally grooming, taking care and pride in your appearance. This also provides the birds with the opportunity for some self maintenance; however, as a courtship ritual it helps to diffuse boundaries and aggression between the birds. It allows the birds to get closer to each other and provide evidence that they do not intend to cause harm. In some birds, and doves are a good example, preening can be seen as the first step in the mating ritual. A dove will start preening itself near a potential partner. Once both of them start to preen the next indication that progress is being made is that they will start to preen each other. Then, if both are accepting of this move, the preening will shift from the body toward the face and neck.
