Who knows why flamingos stand in one leg?

[b]ya i have the reason for that tell me one thing what you do with ur hands when you are wearing a t-shirt when there is cold outside so you fold your arms near your stomach so tht you can receive some heat from the body . so flamingos also do this when they stand in water their legs temprature became low so the heart tries to send blood fast which in turns waste of energy so flamingos fold their one arm near to their body so that the heart burden decreases thats why they fold their one leg .... i can bet this is the best reason provided [/b] cheers! happy mylotting

Well i've read this somewhere in a conference and one of the students asked the same question which i would like to share what the professor said about it, he said that Flamingos stand on one leg to conserve body heat and their energy.when flamingos are standing in cold water, the heart is forced to circulate more blood to keep both legs warm. By tucking one leg closer to the body, flamingos may reduce the load on their hearts, besides this it also help to camouflage a flamingo coz the single leg resembles the grass! The funny thing the professor added which might be true based on some theories was they feared to hit with the Ducks floating in the water hehe!! anyway i think this information helped. Have a nice day Sweety

i think it might be their means of survival.all the spiecies have different characteristics.

I did some research:Birds’ legs have an adaptation called “rete mirabile” that minimizes heat loss. The arteries that transport warm blood into the legs lie in contact with the veins that return colder blood to the bird’s heart. The arteries warm the veins. By standing on one leg, a bird reduces by half the amount of heat lost through unfeathered limbs. Birds also purposely create their own shadows in the water. Apparently egrets can blend better with their surroundings and look like a shrub to a fish by standing on one leg. Take a close look at the egret’s legs and feet if you ever get the chance. The tough skin really does make them look like tree trunks, and undoubtedly fools fishes seeking a bit of shade for cover too. so...got the answer?

hmmm...hmmmm...wait my brain aches with your question valeria lols... according to research it has something to do with body heat preservation and blood ciculation.. on my own explanation dont mind them they dont even mind us standing with two legs and having two hands that we can still stand on if our feet ever get tired lols!!

I have a friend who is a Flamingo freak. He says... 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. I've never studied Flamingos so I don't know, but my guess is he's correct!!!