Fundamentally, flamingos stand on one leg to avoid muscular fatigue. “It’s an energy-saving activity, basically,” explains Dr Paul Rose, zoologist at the University of Exeter.

“Believe it or not, flamingos are more stable for long periods of time on one leg than they are on two. This is because the ligaments and tendons in their legs can be locked in position – and that reduces any muscular effort to stay in one place.

“If you’re a flamingo, you’re going to want to sleep on one leg as you can activate this locking mechanism and just stay there. Sleeping on two legs would mean constantly maintaining your balance.”

Interestingly, they aren’t the only animals to engage in this behaviour. Ducks, geese, swans and flamingos are birds of a feather, using similar locking mechanisms in their legs to stay perfectly balanced.

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