Feet of Birds

 TYPES OF BIRD FEET

 ·       Birds use their claws to catch food and to protect themselves.

 ·       They use them to sit on branches. The feet and legs are covered with scales.

 ·       Birds have two to four toes on each foot.

 ·       Claws on the feet are also used to scratch the ground or for fighting.

 

 

 WADING FOOT

 ·       The long legs of wading birds like killdeer make it possible for them to wade into ponds and streams to catch and eat small water animals.

 ·       The other examples are Flamingo, Crane.

  SWIMMING FOOT

  ·       Birds which swim in water to catch their food (like ducks and geese) have small feet with three long toes in front and  one small toe at the back.

  ·       The three front toes are joined together with thin skin also called webbed feet which they use to paddle through water easily.

  CLIMBING FOOT

  ·   Birds which climb the trees for food (like Woodpecker, Parrot) have sharp, curved claws that help them to climb and clutch the bark of trees.

  ·       These birds have two toes pointing forward and two point backward.

  ·       They help them to climb up on trees and hold fruits to eat.

 

   GRASPING FOOT / RAPTOR BIRDS

  ·  Flesh-eating birds, also called Raptor birds (like Eagle, Hawks, owls) have sharp, strong and curved claws, or talons, with which to catch their prey.

  ·   They use their strong claws to crush their victims, and to carry them away.

 

  PERCHING FOOT 

  ·  All songbirds, or perching birds, have three toes pointing forward and one pointing backward.

  · Their toes help them to grip branches so tightly that they do not fall down even while sleeping. Eg. Crows, sparrows, etc

 

  SCRATCHING BIRDS

  ·       Some birds like hens and cocks have sharp and hard claws with three long toes in front and one short toe at the back.

  ·       They scratch the ground with their sharp claws to get seeds and insects to eat them.