At 19:45 17/09/2002 +1000, you wrote:
The bush thick knees are regularly
sunbaking in their favourate spot in the Brisbane
Botanical Gardens - one was kneeling yesterday, which was an interesting
sight
given their backwards facing knees ****This is an
interesting anatomical issue, Lawrie. Technically
"thick-knees" should be called "thick-ankles".
Those backward facing "knees" are actually their ankles, and
bend as ankles normally do - as is the case for all birds. Their
knees are high up under their feathers and bend forwards in the normal
way. Birds walk on their toes, and what appear to be their legs
(and are usually referred to as their legs, eg
"long-legged","leg-colour", etc) are actually their
tarsi (the equivalent of the long bones in our own feet).
But I guess Bush Thick-ankle is a little foreign-sounding, isn't
it?
Regards. Richard
PS Your bird in the Botanical Gardens was actually standing on its
heels, ie on it's entire "foot", rather than just its toes,
when you saw it.
*********************
DR
RICHARD NOWOTNY
8 Pier
St
Port
Melbourne
VIC
AUSTRALIA 3207.
Tel.
(H) 61-3-9645.6870
(M) 0438 224456
**********************
|
