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Reply	anonymous (but thats not my name) says: I found this while searching:'While some of the mystery still remains, people who study flamingos have given us many possible reasons why the birds stand on one leg. First, it allows the raised leg and foot to dry. When you are in the bathtub for a long time, your skin starts to "prune up" and wrinkle. The same thing can happen to the webbed feet of the flamingo. By changing which leg they stand on, flamingos can allow their feet and legs to dry. Second, standing on one leg helps them hunt their food better because their shadow looks more like a tree when they stand on one foot. You don’t see too many trees with two long trunks, do you?But probably the most important reason flamingos stand on one leg is to conserve body heat and energy. A bird’s leg receives three times as much blood per heartbeat as their major muscles do, and that blood provides a great deal of warmth to the animal. Flamingos have very long legs, which provide a great deal of surface area for the loss of heat. If you are outside when it is very cold and all you have on is a short-sleeve T-shirt, what do you do with your arms to keep them warm? Most of the time you tuck them in your shirt, close to your body. That is exactly what the flamingo does. By tucking one leg in close to its body, the flamingo is able to stay warmer in cooler weather.' I hope this helps to answer your question.  (no votes) Tags: animals, planet earth.
	posted on 2008-10-17 16:16:00 | Report abuse

Reply	Anonymous says: Yes, good for water-birds, but what about all the land-birds that regularly stand on one leg in tropical climates where tempurature is definitely not an issue?  (no votes) Tags: animals, planet earth.
	posted on 2008-10-18 00:09:00 | Report abuse

Reply	anonymous (unfortunately that is my name) says: All birds sleep on one leg :)Birds have cycles of NREM and REM sleep, but with some differences. One of the most striking differences is that both NREM and REM sleep episodes are quite short in birds; their NREM sleep episodes average only about 2 1/2 minutes, and REM sleep episodes only 9 seconds. Also, most birds do not lose muscle tone during REM sleep as consistently as mammals do, which is understandable, since many birds sleep while standing or perching. Some birds, such as pheasants and partridges, sleep on the ground. Water fowl can sleep while swimming. Some parrots sleep hanging down. It is suspected that some birds sleep aloft during long transoceanic flights.  (no votes) Tags: animals, planet earth.
	posted on 2008-10-18 10:23:00 | Report abuse

Reply	anonymous (unfortunately that is my name) says: Sorry i forgot to put this:Experts say a bird's leg gets three times more blood per heartbeat than the pectoral muscles used in flying, which are the largest muscles in his body. Consequently, he loses much more heat through his legs and feet than through his body. By standing on one leg, he can keep the other leg close to his body, inside feathers, and reduce heat loss. This says that birds sleep on one leg. (this wasnt by me it was by April Holladay a science journalist)  (no votes) Tags: animals, planet earth.
	posted on 2008-10-18 10:28:00 | Report abuse

Reply	david bailey says: Birds dont have lungs, they have air sacs. These air sacs are designed to allow inhalation and exhalation of air to co-incide with their wings flapping during flight. No lungs means no negative thoracis pressure which has a "pulling" affect on blood entering the thoracic cavity. The one legged stance is designed to conserve blood pressure in the absence of negative thoracic pressure, and reduce the appearance of varicose veins and pooling of blood in the extremities.  (no votes) Tags: animals, planet earth.
	posted on 2008-10-20 13:39:00 | Report abuse

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