Dissecting Flamingos' Weird Habit To Stand On One Leg
- 7 years ago
Here's how flamingos are able to stand on one leg.
Flamingos are attention-getting birds for many reasons, one being their truly impressive ability to stand on one leg and even catch some Z's while doing so.
How they do it has long been a mystery to science, but, thanks to researchers from Emory University and Georgia Tech, the days of wondering are behind us.
It turns out, flamingo bodies are built in a way that is in complete harmony with gravity. When one leg is lifted, the other automatically repositions its joints and aligns beneath the body in the exact way that allows for perfect balance.
The team initially attempted to discover this by observing live birds housed at Zoo Atlanta.
That approach ran into a bit of a brick wall. Young-Hui Chang, one of the researchers, explained, "We really wanted to do an experiment where we just walked over and gave them a little prod. But the zoo wouldn't let us."
The team then shifted its focus to flamingo cadavers. While examining one lying on a table they were unable to glean any significant information about how the single-leg pose provides the astounding stability it does.
However, when one of the team members grasped the cadaver's shin and repositioned the bird upright, all of the joints instantly snapped into place, providing a stable base for the bird.
The question that remains is why the single-leg pose is often preferable, particularly while sleeping.
It is suggested that it may use less of the body's energy, but that theory does raise the question of why flamingos don't take greater advantage of that benefit and stand on one leg all time.
Flamingos are attention-getting birds for many reasons, one being their truly impressive ability to stand on one leg and even catch some Z's while doing so.
How they do it has long been a mystery to science, but, thanks to researchers from Emory University and Georgia Tech, the days of wondering are behind us.
It turns out, flamingo bodies are built in a way that is in complete harmony with gravity. When one leg is lifted, the other automatically repositions its joints and aligns beneath the body in the exact way that allows for perfect balance.
The team initially attempted to discover this by observing live birds housed at Zoo Atlanta.
That approach ran into a bit of a brick wall. Young-Hui Chang, one of the researchers, explained, "We really wanted to do an experiment where we just walked over and gave them a little prod. But the zoo wouldn't let us."
The team then shifted its focus to flamingo cadavers. While examining one lying on a table they were unable to glean any significant information about how the single-leg pose provides the astounding stability it does.
However, when one of the team members grasped the cadaver's shin and repositioned the bird upright, all of the joints instantly snapped into place, providing a stable base for the bird.
The question that remains is why the single-leg pose is often preferable, particularly while sleeping.
It is suggested that it may use less of the body's energy, but that theory does raise the question of why flamingos don't take greater advantage of that benefit and stand on one leg all time.