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I’m still thinking about these fantastic feet (tip via @RallidaeRule)
And while yes, they are indisputably the Best Bird Feet, I’m still feeling strongly that’s a split title with at least a dozen species.
And while yes, they are indisputably the Best Bird Feet, I’m still feeling strongly that’s a split title with at least a dozen species.
Blue-footed boobies know their feet are spectacular, featuring them in an “Look at mah sexxxy feet!” dance.
Aside: did you know other species of boobies are also adorbs?!
Aside: did you know other species of boobies are also adorbs?!
Have you seen snowy owl feet? They’re fluffballs of doom. Like kittens? You’ll love this cozy nest of feathers encompassing freaking terrifying death-talons
📷 in watermarks
📷 in watermarks
For a less adorable take on death, check out osprey feet. They’re highly-specialized killing machines, curved fishhook talons that must haunt lil fishie nightmares.
Ever raptor has feet that dare you to forget that they’re dinosaurs: wired.com/2009/11/raptor…
📷:💧🖋
Ever raptor has feet that dare you to forget that they’re dinosaurs: wired.com/2009/11/raptor…
📷:💧🖋
Snowy egrets have the nickname Golden Slippers. Take one guess why.
Why are their feet so vibrant? So they don’t accidentally stab themselves. They hunt by shuffling, stirring up muck & prey.
📷 Photo: Lawrence William/Audubon Photography Awards
Why are their feet so vibrant? So they don’t accidentally stab themselves. They hunt by shuffling, stirring up muck & prey.
📷 Photo: Lawrence William/Audubon Photography Awards
Emperor penguin feet are of course excellent gripping ice, but they also spread into webbed fins for acrobatic submarine flying—er, swimming.
Bonus: They’re super-cuddly feet protecting eggs & chicks.
📷 Polar Cruises (swim), 💧🖋,
John Downer/Getty (egg), Eddie Gault (feet)
Bonus: They’re super-cuddly feet protecting eggs & chicks.
📷 Polar Cruises (swim), 💧🖋,
John Downer/Getty (egg), Eddie Gault (feet)
All woodpeckers have splayed feet to keep steady while hammering merrily away (see also: Best Skull & Shock-absorber tongue), but Pileated Woodpeckers have extra-splay to also be badass-climbers.
Plus, that coarse scaly texture is irl dragonscale.
📷💧🖋
Plus, that coarse scaly texture is irl dragonscale.
📷💧🖋
For the least-subtle of Best Bird Feet, entre the Cassowary.
Sure, you know Australian murder-birds are deadly, but did you know these modern dinosaure specialize in kicking joggers to death? 3, 2, 1, EVISCERATE!
📷Lucy Allen/insta lucyleek
Sure, you know Australian murder-birds are deadly, but did you know these modern dinosaure specialize in kicking joggers to death? 3, 2, 1, EVISCERATE!
📷Lucy Allen/insta lucyleek
Note: expand photos above for full impact.
Forgot image description: enormous flightless bird with disarmingly cheerful blue head & goofy red waddle stalks sand, one pale leg lifted with toes pointed in implied threat.
Bonus death-feet:
Forgot image description: enormous flightless bird with disarmingly cheerful blue head & goofy red waddle stalks sand, one pale leg lifted with toes pointed in implied threat.
Bonus death-feet:
Marbled Godwit are sandpipers whose feet look exactly like a child’s crayon drawing of bird feet. Beautiful simplicity.
📷 Tim Romano (2 with humans), Glen Tepke/VIREO (water)
📷 Tim Romano (2 with humans), Glen Tepke/VIREO (water)
Aside: Wanna learn about prehistoric bird feet?
Stephanie is talking trace fossils, including (terrestrial & avian) dino footprints:
Stephanie is talking trace fossils, including (terrestrial & avian) dino footprints:
Pūkeko earn Best Bird Feet by having enormous gangly orange swamp-feet that do not match their sleek blue aesthetic at all. It’s the bird equivalent of converse high-tops with a tux.
Why such ludicrously long toes? Swamp feet.
📷💧🖋, Department of Conservation (NZ)
Why such ludicrously long toes? Swamp feet.
📷💧🖋, Department of Conservation (NZ)
Flamingos have amazing pink feet, but also because their chicks have the most ungainly enormous feet that make puppies paws look proportional.
Canthaxanthin from eating brine shrimp & algae m, but it builds up unevenly so they have a hilarious feet&knees stage.
📷💧🖋
Canthaxanthin from eating brine shrimp & algae m, but it builds up unevenly so they have a hilarious feet&knees stage.
📷💧🖋
You added more excellent bird feet, so I’m tagging hem on.
Coot, gently stomping on your toes:
Coot, gently stomping on your toes:
Absurdly wee hummingbird feet, multiple species, all the Best due to their squee-inducing tininess.
Bonus penguin feet, politely reminding you that while penguins may disarm you with their rotions shape, black-tie dress code, waddle, & hidden knees, they are most certainly dinosaurs.
Golden eagle feet.
📷Nicole Riley
Because:
📷Nicole Riley
Because:
Everything about this is truth:
Extremely old feet:
TIL Willow Ptarmigan feet get more feathery in winter (right to their tie tips!), increasing surface area into snowshoes to strut across fresh, powdery snowdrifts.
📷Bob Armstrong
📷Bob Armstrong
Ému feet are powerful, cushioned monsters perfect for running.
And occasional kick-attacks. They did win the Great Emu War.
And occasional kick-attacks. They did win the Great Emu War.
Best Bird Feet doesn’t have nearly enough parrots yet. All parrots have zygodactyl feet: 2 toes forward, 2 back.
What’re some fav parrot feet? They’re all good feet, but I’m down for which are the Best among the good.
What’re some fav parrot feet? They’re all good feet, but I’m down for which are the Best among the good.
So many sandpiper species, all with quick lil feet & elaborate courtship dances.
Semipalmated & Western Sandpipers have semi-palmated toes — they look like spread fingers of a hand. That helps them sprint on mud.
📷💧🖋
Semipalmated & Western Sandpipers have semi-palmated toes — they look like spread fingers of a hand. That helps them sprint on mud.
📷💧🖋
Aside: All Best Bird Feet are get a superlative bump to BEST BIRD FEET!! when contemplated at a chick’s “my feet are too big for my body” stage.
TIL Eurasian coot feet are the greyscale formal version of American coot feet.
They’re for when you want a aquatic-land hybrid chicken companion, but the dress code is black-tie monotones.
They’re for when you want a aquatic-land hybrid chicken companion, but the dress code is black-tie monotones.
Related:
Which mythical birds have the best feet?
And can we get something on asteroid Bennu named after them?
nasa.gov/feature/goddar…
Which mythical birds have the best feet?
And can we get something on asteroid Bennu named after them?
nasa.gov/feature/goddar…
