Why Flamingoes Stand on One Foot
For most creatures, it is difficult to stand on one foot. For instance, even in tree pose during yoga, with my stronger leg, I am useless after a minute. Standing on one foot, however, is more than simply a skill for one animal in particular. In a nutshell, it's kind of their entire endeavor. Most people are aware of two facts about flamingos: they are pink, and they stand on one foot. But why do they only support themselves on one leg? Since birds lose a lot of heat through their legs, this helps them retain heat, according to widespread belief. But that's not fully true in the case of a flamingo, as Hank Green explains in a brand-new SciShow video.
Imagine a flamingo in your mind's eye. Does it balance on one foot? These unusual pink birds are typically pictured poised on one long, slender leg. No one knew for a very long time why a flamingo would choose to stand in that particular position. Science finally provided an explanation in 2019: it's literally simpler than standing on two legs.
On two legs, flamingos cannot readily balance or relax since their balance is immediately disrupted. Their bodies are far more suited to support that single leg. Experiments with dead flamingos further demonstrated that standing on one leg is remarkably simple compared to balancing on two legs.
