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Climbing

Woodpecker

If a bird wants to go up a tree, it'll just fly to where it wants to go, won't it?

Not necessarily. Some birds prefer to navigate up and down tree trunks on their own two feet.

These birds have specially adapted toes that help them climb. Not all birds need to use their feet this way, but for those that do, having a special toe arrangement is very useful.

For example, woodpeckers have two toes pointed forward, and two toes pointed backward.

This toe arrangement helps support the woodpecker as it climbs up and down the bark of a tree.

The scientific name for this toe arrangement is zygodactyl.

Another zygodactyl bird is the nuthatch. It, too, likes to climb up and down trees looking for insects to eat.