To keep their balance while they feed, flamingos stand on both legs. But they stand on one leg to rest. No one really knows why they do this. One person suggested that a flamingo will swap feet to help blood circulate through its long legs....
http://www.discoverymagazine.com/digger/d98dd/d9810dd.h...
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Brief and Straightforward Guide: Why do Flamingos Stand on One Leg? ... One of the more widely accepted theories is that flamingos stand on one leg to conserve body heat and energy. Some ornithologists have suggested that flamingos may sleep on one leg, essentially turning half of the brain off to rest, and balancing on the...
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www.wisegeek.com/why-do-flamingos-stand-on-one-leg.htm
www.wisegeek.com/why-do-flamingos-stand-on-one-leg.htm
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Why do flamingos stand on one leg? In a large, shallow body of water, hundreds of flamingos congregate like an avian water ballet team: all preening their pink feathers, resting in the sun and standing on one leg for hours at a time. Flami...
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/flamingos-stand-...
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This is actually a very common behavior in water birds like cranes and herons as well. There is no real scientific answer as to why they do it, but it's probably a combination of conserving body heat and a counter weight when their head are...
http://answers.ask.com/Science/Biology/why_do_flamingos...
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Flamingos frequently stand on one leg. Curling a leg under the body keeps the foot warm and conserves body heat. Flamingos stand on one leg in both cool and warm environments.
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www.seaworld.org/infobooks/Flamingos/fadapt.html
www.seaworld.org/infobooks/Flamingos/fadapt.html
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W. Smith supposed that because the flamingo has exceptionally long, thin legs that it was difficult for its heart to return blood from its feet. Therefore, by standing on one leg and occasionally switching, the flamingo prevents blood ... "Why do flamingos stand on one leg? So ducks only bump into them half the time."
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www.science-frontiers.com/sf078/sf078b09.htm
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BIRDS AND THE BEES; Why do flamingos stand on one leg? ... Many water birds have thus evolved the habit of standing with one leg tucked up into the feathers of the lower body, reducing the potential heat loss by 50 per cent.
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www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-1502,0...
www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-1502,00.html
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It is thought that flamingos stand on one leg to rest one of its legs. However, in order to keep its balance, the flamingo will stand on two legs when it is feeding. Often the flamingo can be seen standing on one leg for a certain amount of...
http://www.blurtit.com/q217144.html
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I'm no ornithologist, but I have done a reasonably comprehensive journal and web search on this topic for you. I haven't found anything about swan leg raising, and I don't know enough about ... They will stand on one leg in both cool and warm environments." There you go! Apparently leg curling is typical flamingo behaviour!
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www.madsci.org/posts/archives/jul2001/994863831.Zo.r.ht...
www.madsci.org/posts/archives/jul2001/994863831.Zo.r.html
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