Many people who have explored the behavior of flamingos have put forth several reasons that make flamingo stand on one leg.
Firstly, the raised foot can be lifted for drying. This is possible because after remaining in water for long time, skin starts getting wrinkled. By changing legs for standing, one by one, the flamingos can let their feet dry and control the pruning of their leg-skin.
Secondly, when they stand on one leg, they look like a shadow of a tree in the water which helps them get near their prey.
Thirdly, flamingos need to regulate the temperature of their body by saving heat and energy . The legs of these birds receive 3 times more blood per heartbeat than most of their muscles and hence this gives more warmth to their legs. Since the legs of flamingos are very long, the heat gets enough surface for escaping which makes the body loose its heat energy very fast.
Whenever we feel cold, we wrap both our arms tightly around us to save the warmth inside the body. Similarly, the flamingos tuck one leg upwards near the body to save the loss of heat in cold conditions.
Shake-a-leg.
But I can't stand on one leg! At least not for very long. Age has caught up to me too much.
Me, too...
I remember when I couldn't wait to grow up. The memory is really vague and fuzzy but.....what was I talking about??
They are beautiful, dear A. Mac!
I loved to watch all of the birds at Disney World... There were so many varieties! I thought that the black swans were so beautiful, too!
I wonder if they switch legs on occasion ...
Why do Flamingos Stand on One Leg?
Many people who have explored the behavior of flamingos have put forth several reasons that make flamingo stand on one leg.