Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
FIG 4.37
Different types of bird leg allow for different kinds of locomotion. Some are small and made for
gripping small branches, others are long and allow for wading, walking, or running at speed.
toes for perching. At first glance it would appear that the leg of a bird has a
reverse angle to that of a human leg, but what we see here is not the knee
joint but the ankle.
The manner of a bird's locomotion other than its manner of flight bears
a direct relation to the size and shape of its feet. The feet determine such
actions as hopping, walking, running, swimming, climbing, and clinging. The
largest group of birds known as
passerines
are those described as capable of
