How to Understand the Birds 



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THE FLAMINGO-LONG AND LUGUBRIOUS 



"Long" is the key word for the flamingo: long body, long bill, long neck, long 

 legs, long toes. Its weird habits include: sleeping in its famous one-legged stance, 

 eating with its head upside-down, and roosting on its foot-high cone-shaped nest. 



long toes which distribute their weight and keep them from sink- 

 ing into soft mud. Short-tailed birds the murres, for example- 

 use the feet as rudders during flight. Diving birds, such as grebes, 

 use their feet to propel them under water. 



Whenever you see a bird scratching for food, you are noticing 

 another use for its feet. Birds of prey, such as eagles and hawks, 

 seize their victims in their long, powerful talons. Many birds use 

 their feet to gather and place nesting material; with other birds, 

 the feet are fighting weapons. The parrot uses a foot to grasp and 

 bring food to its mouth, much as we use a hand. So we see that a 

 bird's feet serve many purposes aside from the most obvious one 

 of supporting its body. 



Sharp Eyes and Ears 



Are the bright eyes of a bird as efficient as their alert and 

 shining appearance leads you to believe? They really are: Birds 

 are much more sharp-sighted than we are. Not only do birds 



