Ever wonder why so many birds are standing on one leg?
It is quite common for birds to do so. What is the reason for this posture? Well, various explanations have been put forward, but none of them has been proven to be 100% accurate so far. Here are the most likely theories for this behavior:
- The heat conservation theory:Tucking up one leg inside feathers retains warmth and minimizes heat loss. However, why flamingos and other birds living in warm environments still keep that posture?
- The blood circulation theory: Alternating legs standing promote circulation through both legs, especially for birds with long legs like the flamingos.
- The relaxation theory to avoid muscles fatigue. Standing on one leg allows the other one to rest.
- The antipredator theory. Some birds feign to be injured, dead, or asleep in order to confuse a predator. Thus it makes it easier to hunt: "Herons and flamingos standing on one leg sometimes resemble trees, especially with their body mass casting a shadow while one long leg rests in the water" said Susan R. Drennan, vice president for scientific information of the American Audubon Society.
Which version seems the most plausible to you?
Pourquoi tant d’oiseaux se tiennent-ils sur une patte ? Il est assez fréquent chez les oiseaux de se tenir ainsi. Quelle est la raison de cette posture ? Eh bien quelques explications ont été avancées, mais jusqu'à présent, aucune d’entre elles n’a été prouvée à 100%. Voici les théories les plus plausibles :
Quelle version vous semble la plus vraisemblable? |
French Expression of the Week / Expression de la semaine :
Une histoire à dormir debout: A Cock and Bull story (a tall story)
Origin of this French expression : Ages ago, it was used to express a long story that was so soporific and boring that it would make someone sleep. Over time, the sense has been a little altered and the verb “dormir” (to sleep) was viewed as "leurrer" (to delude). Therefore, the expression “une histoire à dormir debout” now means an incongruous story.
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