Look at those feet! This great blue heron had been wading along the shoreline not too far away when it decided to fly to the other side of the lake. I captured a few frames as it flew away, and while reviewing the images later, I was struck by the size of its feet and toes! Further research led me to the fact that Great Blue Herons have pectinate toes. Huh?
Herons, egrets and bitterns (and a few other species of birds) usually have pectinate toes on one or both feet, and normally it is the longest facing forward toe. This toe has a special toenail with ridges or serration on the inner edge; it looks like comb. And it helps with preening, straightening, cleaning and other tasks associated with feathers. No wonder herons look so marvelous! For more info: https://infinitespider.com/birds-pectinate-toes-built-combs/ Now my challenge is to capture an image of a pectinate toe.
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