Birds are an interesting species, there are about 400 billion birds on the planet. That's right, if they wanted, they could attack us, win, and take over the world. And who knows, maybe that is their plan. If you dive into that thought a bit deeper, with 5 billion people on the planet, this would amount to 40 to 60 birds per bird. So, yeah, they would definitely win. And one type of bird, the Jacana bird, may just freak out a majority of those people with its terrifying spider/bird hybrid legs, but the truth is way cuter than anyone would expect.
When an Imgur user discovered the truth behind these seemingly freaky birds, they decided to share their knowledge with the world, and we are grateful.
This entertaining and thought-provoking commentary by Imgur user yourfriendlyneighbourhoodtzimisce:
"The Jacana carries its babies in this manner to protect them when predators appear, or to help expedite travel across terrain that may be challenging for the less sure-footed chicks. Most other animals would view any terrain the Jacana moves across as challenging because Jacanas like to walk over the surface of wetland vegetation, such as lily pads, and lily pads aren't normally where your mind first goes when you think 'accessible travel'. When the adult Jacana has gotten where it wants to go, it gently sets its chicks down again."
"The wide splay of their toes evenly distributes the bird's weight over a wider surface, meaning delicate vegetation won't buckle when the Jacana walks on top of it. Wow, you may be thinking, that baby bird looks like how being 13 feels."
But you won't, because you can't, because of your awesome weight-distributing feet."
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