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all the feet are off the ground. The wagtail running gait is very distinctive. They
drop their body to the near horizontal and undertake very rapid movement
of the legs with sudden acceleration and deceleration. Blackbirds also use a
running gait to get around under hedgerows and parkland. They too drop
their bodies into a more horizontal position before beginning their fast
forward run, though this is far slower than the small wagtail's.
FIG 4.64
The run sequence of (a)
an ostrich, (b) the walk sequence of
a goose.
For the most part, birds as large as the wood pigeon tend to walk, though a
number of birds utilize mixed modes of locomotion to increase efficiency.
(a)
(b)
