Feet: not just for standing on
Nov 03, 2021
4 minutes
BIRDS’ feet come in many shapes, sizes and even colours. They also have more functions than just allowing the bird to walk. They may be used in locating food beneath the surface, holding food, catching prey, swimming, digging, and even thermoregulation. They can also play a role in courtship. The feet are classified according to their structure.
A bird does not use its entire foot to walk on, but just the toes, and as such are collectively called . Because in birds the forelimbs evolved to become the wings, only the hind legs are used for walking and, as with humans, birds are regarded as bipedal.
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