Ice Bath Weight Loss Bird Legs and Feet Must Be Powerful and Strong.
No, no, no...I'm not talking about a tasty drumstick. I mean the make-up and design of bird legs. Bird legs and feet serve several functions and it often depends on the species of bird. For most birds, most of the bones are hollow. This is for flight purposes. A lighter bird makes for a quick take off.
In some cases, the bird has solid breast bones to help keep them under water like Loons and other diving birds. (Do you notice how low they sit in the water?) These same birds need powerful legs to aid in take off as they run across the water to get airborne. When it comes to legs and feet, virtually all species of birds have solid bones and bones that are more dense. Birds need strong bones in their legs for the daily routines they are involved in.
Take a look at Raptors. A bird of prey can fly in excess of 100 miles and hour and slam into another bird in flight. Falcons have been recorded diving (stooping) at speeds of 220 MPH. Can you imagine hitting another object at that speed? Even if the other object is moving, it is still a jolt.
Osprey dive into the water feet first nailing a fish. Bald eagles snatch at the water to grab a fish without ripping a leg off or losing flight. Those are some strong legs and feet. What about an owl or hawk that may pounce on a rabbit, snake or squirrel as they slam into earth? And do it with a powerful bone breaking force. On the prey that is.
Can you imagine that collision? If you've ever been in an auto accident, or taken a serious fall, than you can just about imagine it. Just because the birds are smaller doesn't mean the impact is any less for them. It's not just the feet and sharp talons, but the legs must be strong or they would snap in several pieces on impact. Have you watched a ground feeding bird hop back and forth as it unearths a meal? What about the power of a woodpecker to stand their as it drills.
Nuthatches that need strong leg bones as it climbs upside down. Chickadees and Goldfinches that swing upside down and twirl around need strong legs too. Legs and feet that are so strong, they lock in position so perching and sleeping birds wont fall. Water fowl have webbed feet, but they need something powerful to propel those feet.
What about the strong bones of an Ostrich or Emu as they run from danger or can cause death with one kick of their powerful legs. You don't think those legs need strong, solid bones? Great blue herons and other wading birds that stand there on one leg. If the bones weren't strong and solid, it would snap like a hollow reed. We don't think about bird legs much do we?
Next time you are really observing your birds, watch how the legs and feet come into play in a birds daily routine. For standing, hunting, launching into flight, nest building, holding onto seed and other food and much more. As we age, out legs may get stiff and our joints ache. But what about our youth? How many times as a youngster, did you play or work hard one day and you were sore and stiff for the next few days? We are in our physical prime mind you. Can you imagine what life would be like for a bird if it woke up sore and stiff?
No hunting or feeding for a couple of days. What if there were young that depended on a successful hunt every day? There is something else special about bird feet and legs. They help regulate a bird's temperature. Birds have the ability to increase and slow down blood flow to the scaly part of the legs and the feet. In winter, the blood flow to these parts slows way down so there is minimal loss of heat from blood flow.
Herons can stand in 40 degree water. Ducks and geese can swim in water that hasn't formed ice. Because bird legs don't have pores, they don't perspire or lose moisture through them like we do, and moisture can't enter. This is why birds can stand in the snow and hop in a bird bath without freezing there feet off. Birds can go from the snow or bath to a metal feeder perch with no problems. If we were to touch a metal perch on some of our winter days, our hand would stick for a short moment. In summer, birds increase blood flow to the legs and feet to help keep them from over heating. As the blood flows through the legs it rushers near the surface of the cooler outer temperature. The cooler blood runs back through and does it all over again. Very much like the radiator on your automobile.
God made the birds as special creatures and as we learn more about them, we have to be more amazed an in awe of His wondrous creations. One last thing on legs. Hummingbird legs are virtually useless. Hummers can stand, but you never see them walking or hoping around. Research does show hummer leg bones are indeed hollow. After all, these light weights of the avian world can't be weighted down now can they?
Ice Bath Weight Loss.