Bird can perch just as easily while standing on only one leg. Since can balance as easily as one leg as two, one of the main reasons for perching on one leg (whether or not they are sleeping) is simply to get the other leg a rest.
But Bird also seek warmth, and perching on one foot gives them a “leg up” on the situation, as Nancy Martin, naturalist at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, explains :
“Since bird’s feet are not covered with feathers, they can lose significant amount of body heat through their feet, especially when standing on ice or in cold water. With their high metabolic rates, birds usually try to conserve as much energy as possible, hence the habit of standing on one leg.”
A corollary: Birds also stick their head under their feathers to preserve heat.
Taken from “Do Penguins Have Knees” by David Feldman, this article was submitted by Lee Dresser of
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