Different types of Feet
Birds have different types of leg and feet depending on their habitat where they live.
1. Grasping and Striking prey: Raptors are birds of prey like
Eagle, Hawks, Falcons Their toes are sharp, powerful claws called talons, for
catching foods. Raptors usually have three talons forward and one talons
backward (Hallux), this arrangement is known as raptorial. But in case of owls they can rotate one of
their forward pointing toes to back.
2. Swimming or Webbed feet: Water bird like Ducks, Geese, Swans
all have webbed feet. Primary use is paddling through water. There are two
different types of webbed feet:
I)
Palmate: 'Palmate'
means open hand or palm. Some birds like Gul, Mallard, Northern Pintail have
webbing between three of their toes. Fourth toe does not help in paddling in
the water. This type of feet is called palmate.
II)
Totipalmate: 'Toti'
means total and 'Palmate' means open hand or palm. Some birds like
Cormorant have webbing between all four toes is called totipalmate.
3. Perching: Small songbirds are called perching birds or
passerines. They have three toes pointed forward and one toe pointed backward.
This arrangement is called anisodactyl.
4. Wading: Some water bird prefer to swim and some of them
prefer to wade through shallow water. As a habitational behavior they have long
toes to match their long legs. Like passerines and raptors they have three toes
pointing toward front and one toward back. For example Cranes, Herons,
Sandpipers, Egret etc. all are wading birds.
5. Climbing: Some birds prefer to climb up-down and vice-versa
on the tree. They can do that with their specially toe arrangement i.e. two
tows pointed forward and two toes pointed backward, this arrangement is called
zygodactyl. For example Woodpeckers, Nuthatch etc.
Below are the some examples of feet:
1. Grasping : Eagle, Kite, Vulture, Owl
2. Swimming : Ducks, Pelican, Cormorant
3. Perching : Sparrow, Crow, Bulbul
4. Wading : Heron, Jacana, Sandpiper, Plover
5. Climbing : Parrot, Woodpecker, Nuthatch
6. Clinging : Swifts, Humming-birds
7. Scratching : Fowl, Quail, Pheasant, Hen
8. Running : Bustard, Cassowary, Ostrich
