Sentence examples for outer toes from inspiring English sources

Tree dwellers such as woodpeckers, toucans, and the other members of order Piciformes, as well as parrots, can travel easily up and down trees because both of their outer toes face backward; in almost all other birds, only one toe faces to the rear.

The outer toes (I and V) were small; the first toe had a small claw.

They have a curious foot morphology, with reversible outer toes - a feature that vexed placement among other bird groups in the tree.

The osprey is particularly well adapted to this diet, with reversible outer toes, sharp spicules on the underside of the toes, closable nostrils to keep out water during dives, and backwards-facing scales on the talons which act as barbs to help hold its catch.

Put your outer toes down first, then roll to your heel.

In the osprey the outer toe is reversible for more-effective handling of fish.

The foot of cuckoos is zygodactylous, or yoke-toed (that is, the outer toe is directed backward).

The outer toe points rearward when perching and is normally directed outward or backward in taking prey, providing the maximum possible toe spread.

Some suborders or families have additional characteristics: the New World vultures (family Cathartidae) have pervious nostrils (i.e., incomplete partition between nostrils) and a rudimentary hind toe; the osprey, a reversible outer toe; the secretary bird, long legs with short, blunt toes; and Falconidae, toothed beak, sharply pointed wings, and a noncentrifugal wing molt.

The only exception to this passerine foot type is found in the well-named Paradoxornis paradoxus, or three-toed parrotbill (Panuridae), in which the outer toe is reduced to a short clawless stump, fused to the middle toe; other species of Paradoxornis have normal feet.

When this work was nearly completed, it was found that the old Balaclava breakwater foundations were giving way in places, and it was decided to erect an apron to strengthen the outer toe of the wall that was subjected to furious N.E. gales, with no protection as Captain Mackay the harbour master said, nearer than Spitzbergen.