preening
verb (present participle)UK /ˈpriːnɪŋ/
US /ˈpriːnɪŋ/
Cleaning and smoothing your feathers or hair to look neat.
The duck was preening its shiny feathers by the pond.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. Showing off or feeling very proud of yourself.
He was preening after winning the spelling bee.
3. The act of a bird using its beak to clean its feathers.
Preening keeps a bird's feathers waterproof.
4. Making small fussy adjustments to your appearance.
She kept preening in front of the mirror before the photo.