My day's just started but already my word-of-the-day has got to be "semi-zygodactyl."
"This is a pattern seen in owls and ospreys, among other birds, and it means that the fourth toe can be rotated backwards on a bony flange so that it can face in either direction as the bird wishes." […]
Discover 10 surprising facts about owls in the intellectual playground at 500ways.com/owl ( #owl, #bird, #ornithology, #barnOwl, #superstition, #comparativeAnatomy, #zoology, #zygodactyl)
Discover 10 surprising facts about owls in the intellectual playground at 500ways.com/owl ( #owl, #bird, #ornithology, #barnOwl, #superstition, #comparativeAnatomy, #zoology, #zygodactyl)
For those many hundreds of #zygodactyl birds (and those weirdos like owls that can be facultatively zygodactyl), it is digit 4 that is rotated back to be in opposition with digit 1 to the forward-facing digits 2 and 3.
But NOT for one group of birds –– TROGONS!...
The avian default of 3 forward and 1 back is #anisodactyl, i.e., "digits not the same". The 2X2 pattern is #zygodactyl, i.e. "digits yoked". BUT, *which toes* point where matters.
Toes are numbered, with #1 (our "big toe") in opposition for birds; they've lost #5 (our "pinkie toe")...
Discover 10 surprising facts about owls in the intellectual playground at 500ways.com/owl ( #owl, #bird, #ornithology, #barnOwl, #superstition, #comparativeAnatomy, #zoology, #zygodactyl)
A male road runner walking on a paved ground.
A male road runner standing on a paved ground.
Ran into this road runner yesterday. Zygodactyl feet!
October 23 2025. Albuquerque NM US.
#birds #roadrunners #zygodactyl
Discover 10 surprising facts about owls in the intellectual playground at 500ways.com/owl ( #owl, #bird, #ornithology, #barnOwl, #superstition, #comparativeAnatomy, #zoology, #zygodactyl)
Discover 10 surprising facts about owls in the intellectual playground at 500ways.com/owl ( #owl, #bird, #ornithology, #barnOwl, #superstition, #comparativeAnatomy, #zoology, #zygodactyl)
🪵 We’ve been receiving sightings of the #GreenWoodpecker!
Did you know they have #zygodactyl feet—two toes forward, two back—to grip tree trunks with ease?
And their super-strong necks help them drum on trees without a headache!
👀 Spotted one? Let us know!
📷Angus McDonald
Discover 10 surprising facts about owls in the intellectual playground at 500ways.com/owl ( #owl, #bird, #ornithology, #barnOwl, #superstition, #comparativeAnatomy, #zoology, #zygodactyl)
True Facts About The Owl. Makes me laugh every time. #birbs #zygodactyl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeFx...
Panther Chameleons
(Furcifer pardalis)
They have zygodactyl feet, and are native to the rainforests of Madagascar.
#pantherchameleon #chameleon #furciferpardalis #animal #madagascar #wildlife #wildlifeart #sciart #scientificart #zygodactyl #furcifer #art #animalart #traditionalart #sketch #drawing
A roadrunner at the zoo. These birds are fast so I'm happy to have got some decent shots.
#roadrunner #geococcyx #zygodactyl #aves #birdportraits #birds #worldbirds #zoo #zoobirds #photography #photographer #UK #Canon #Cambridgeshire #UKzoos #zoolife #canonr6mark2 #canon24-105mm #daysoutuk
Avoiding spoilers, but here to report that in #Echo the #YellowBelliedSapsucker has #zygodactyl toes, gives #sapsucker calls, and does #sapsucker drumming cadence. Well done! No, it shouldn't be anywhere near #Choctaw lands during the growing season, but that's okay.
#Marvel #Kingpin #Maya #Oklahoma
