Re: Science feather strength debate

[Mark Pauline <markpauline@rocketmail.com>]

Below are two photographs of turkeys walking in trees without using their 
halluces to grip. I have many others as well. Also, not only turkeys roost in 
trees, but many other galliform birds like spruce grouse, jungle fowl, etc.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://gallery.photo.net/photo/6156800-md.jpg&imgrefurl=http://photo.net/photodb/photo%3Fphoto_id%3D6156800&usg=__AWMBXnndBelSKcqsGd9HpYFKMWU=&h=491&w=679&sz=48&hl=en&start=122&zoom=1&tbnid=TaliyG-524KaWM:&tbnh=147&tbnw=196&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dturkey%2Btree%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26channel%3Ds%26biw%3D1948%26bih%3D1142%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C2826&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=910&vpy=187&dur=1492&hovh=191&hovw=264&tx=165&ty=102&ei=Wk7gTK-zGYGdlgfg2YnvAw&oei=Jk7gTKbzAoep8AaUsdD1Dg&esq=5&page=3&ndsp=58&ved=1t:429,r:24,s:122&biw=1948&bih=1142



http://bloomingdalevillage.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html (scroll down 
almost to the end. At 5:48 you see a turkey walking down a  branch that is too 
wide in diameter to be gripped by the toes at all.)



Turkeys were formerly included in their own family Meleagrididae, but are now 
included within the Phasianidae. 



>> As for the turkey, it's my understanding that most if not all
>> phasianids have a hallux that is sufficient to oppose the other three
>> pedal digits.
> 
> I do not know if the American Wild Turkey is a phasianid :), but I know they 
>can die on a small tree branch, capsize and hang upside down for at least a 
>week... both feet securely gripping the branch postmortem (personal obs.).