Just like the beaks, birds have different types of feet. The help the bird to move in its natural surroundings and find food. Birds generally have four toes on each foot. The feet have a scaled skin which strengthens the feet.
Types of Feet
Wading Feet
The long legs of the crane and stork, help them to wade into ponds and streams to catch and eat small water animals. The feet have long toes to help the bird to walk at the bottom of water bodies when searching for food.
Swimming Feet
Ducks and geese have the web between their toes. The web helps them to paddle through the water. The webbed feet also help the birds to walk on muddy land.
Climbing Feet
Woodpeckers have sharp, curved claws. The claws help them to climb and to clutch the bark of trees. Their feet are different because there are two toes forward, and two toes pointing backwards. This helps the birds to get a firm grip on the tree bark.
Grasping Feet
Hawks, owls are hunting birds. Their toes have sharp, and powerful claws called talons. These birds use them for catching food. They use their strong claws to crush their victims and to carry them to their nest. Predatory birds have three talons pointing forward and one talon pointing backwards.
Owls can rotate one of their forward-pointing toes to the back. This increases its ability to grasp tree branches and hold prey firmly.
Perching Feet
All songbirds, or perching birds, have three toes pointing forward and one pointing backwards. This helps the bird to grasp its perch. Such birds clamp their toes around a branch and remain on it safely.
