Passer domesticus

Although our House Sparrows are frequent back-yard visitors, a family of more than a dozen live in bushes around the house, I don't see them drinking or taking a bath in the pond very often. I rained some today, and I noticed that many of the regular birds decided to take baths after the rain -- I don't exactly understand why, because they are already wet from the rain. Maybe they figure since they are already wet, why not do it right?