I'm not talking about a barbecue drumstick here. I mean the make-up and design of birds legs. Birds legs and feet have several functions and it often depends on the species of bird. Many people believe birds bone are completely hollow, they are not. Because bird skeletons must be light enough to fly, the inside of each bone is filled with long, narrow marrow supports that gives the bone both strength and a lightweight structure. However, this also makes bird bones much more fragile than those of mammals. If the bones were to be completely hollow, there is a good chance that they would be so brittle that even flight itself would be dangerous.
Birds need powerful legs to aid in take off, landing and running. When it comes to legs and feet, virtually all species of birds have solid bones that are more dense. Birds need strong bones in their legs for the daily routines they are involved in.
Take a look at Raptors. A bird of prey can fly in excess of 100 miles and hour and catch it prey in flight. Falcons have been recorded diving (swooping) at speeds of 220 MPH. Can you imagine snatching another bird out of the air at that speed? Even if the other object is moving, its strong legs and good eyesight.
Osprey dive into the water feet first to grab a fish. Bald eagles snatch a fish from water without ripping a leg off or loosing flight. Those are some powerful legs and feet. What about an owl or hawk that may snatch a rabbit, snake or squirrel as they swoop toward the earth? And do it quick and with powerful bone breaking force.
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