St. Nicholas/Volume 40/Number 4/Nature and Science/Bird Feet

In the winter the foot of the grouse is much like a snow-shoe, the toes acquiring a comb-like fringe on the sides, while in the summer the toes are bare and slender.

Juncos (in foreground and in flight at the right) and tree-sparrows that make many footprints in the snow.

The Significance of birds’ feet

When our common winter birds are writing their parts in his classification of birds, and in his autographs on the light coverlet of snow, is a study of their habits. Most of us have a general good time for us not only to learn to distinguish knowledge of the foot of the ordinary domestic as many different bird, as, for example, the common chicken; but
“The woodpecker’s foot is nicely adapted for clinging.” to give a little careful consideration to the meanings of the different forms of birds’ feet.

We pay so much attention to the charm of its song, the grace of its flight, its interesting habits, and the beauty of its plumage, that seldom, if ever, do we even think of those important parts of the bird’s body, the feet and legs. Indeed, so far as most persons are concerned, wild birds might have no legs at all, so slight is the notice given to them. Occasionally, however, some conspicuous tracks in the snow, or the remarkable adaptation of the foot of the ruffed grouse, with its fringe which forms a sort of snow-shoe, compel our special attention. The professional ornithologist regards the feet and legs as important kinds of birds as is how many can tell, without examining a chicken, possible by the tracks how many toes there are, in what position they that they make, but are when walking, and how many of them project forward on the roosting perch, and how many toward the back? If you were to hold up a chicken and it should firmly grip your finger, could you now tell, though you may have many times held a chicken in this way, how many claws would be on one side of the finger, and how many on the other? We leave this for you to investigate, and now call your especial attention to some interesting characteristics that may lead to the study of others.

The woodpecker’s foot is nicely adapted for clinging. All four of the toes are well developed. Two point forward and two backward, thus giving a powerful grasp on the bark to which the bird clings when searching for insects. But in striking contrast to this is the foot of the fish-hawk, with strong, curved, sharply pointed nails, spreading widely in four directions, so that the bird may grasp its slippery prey at points as far apart as possible. In addition to the sharp, curved nails there is a pad covered with horny spikes on the inner surface of the claws, that undoubtedly adds much to the ease with which the flying bird can hold the fish.

Remarkably different from this is the jacana, a bird found in Asia, Africa, and South America, whose long, slender toes and nails enable it to pass over the water on the leaves of aquatic plants. The weight of the bird depresses these leaves slightly beneath the surface, but not enough to lessen the impression that the jacana is walking on the water. When these birds go on land, as they occasionally do, they are able to run at great speed, but have a peculiar rocking motion from side to side, like a top-heavy omnibus, because, when each foot is lifted, it must be raised high in order to clear the ground. Though it has great speed on land, its movements are awkward, because it spends most of its time on the water-plants to which its foot is especially adapted.

Birds like the sparrow-hawk, which seize their
THE JACANA’S FOOT.
This has very long toes and toe-nails, so that the bird can pass over the water on the leaves of aquatic plants. These leaves sink beneath the surface, thus giving the impression of the bird walking on the water. victims, have long legs and claws, while those like falcons, which strike the flying bird in mid-air, have short stout feet with a powerful hind claw. The old falconers were accustomed to refer to the deadly “heel” because the bird, dropping suddenly past its victim and striking it with the curved hind claw, cut through skin and muscle like a razor. In marked contrast to this is the foot of the owl, as, for example, that of the snowy owl, which has a dense coat of feathers on the legs that protects them from the teeth of the mice upon which the owl preys. When the owl springs on the little animal and clinches with its sharp claws, the mouse turns to bite, but bites only this tuft of feathers.

THE FOOT OF THE FISH-HAWK.
With its strong, curved nails, the horny spikes covering the inner surface of the toes, and the partly reversible outer toe, the fish-hawk can grasp his slippery prey at four different points.

But such a feathery tuft would be a disadvantage to a bird like the fish-hawk. As its food is seized in the water, the feathers would become
THE FOOT OF AN OSTRICH.
This has but two toes and is used as a weapon. It can deliver a blow which will knock down a man. wet and slimy. Consequently the fish-hawk’s feet and legs are bare.

Birds which wade, like the heron, have long legs to keep the body out of the water; while those that swim, like the wild duck, have short legs to prevent their feet from becoming tangled in the water-weeds. Indeed, the presence of weeds in those places where aquatic life abounds and where the birds consequently go for food, has been a very decided factor in determining the shape of the bird’s foot.

Among the swimming birds there are also marked differences, some having pads to
From a photograph by C. William Beebe.
THE FOOT OF THE SNOWY OWL HAS A DENSE COAT OF FEATHERS. strengthen the hold of the feet upon the water, while others have saw-like appendages for cutting through the water-weeds. For example, the foot of the grebe is paddle-toed with a saw-edged shank for cutting through these aquatic plants, while that of the coot is lobed, or divided into sections, thus enabling the bird to walk on land as well as to swim. It is an interesting fact that the legs of the grebe bend sidewise in swimming, and thus enable it to move in shallow water with the wide strokes of a frog. At every stroke the long, wide paddles on each toe open and close. Every boy knows that it is difficult to swim among water-plants, for nature has not provided him, as it has the grebe, with a leg edged with saw-teeth sharp enough to cut the plants.

The ostrich has a foot with only two toes, but when it is used as a weapon, it can deliver a blow that will knock down a man. It also is admirably adapted for swift running, in that respect somewhat resembling the hoof of the horse.

The feet and legs of birds can be much better studied in the winter than in the summer, because the foot is not so obscured by the leaves of the tree. We suggest to our young people that they watch the habits of the various birds that seek insects in the crevices of the bark, and also observe the feet of the common domestic fowls and the swimming habits of ducks and geese.

SOME EXAMPLES OF THE “PADDED” FEET OF SWIMMING BIRDS.