h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I know it's a Canada goose, but I can't help wondering why they stand on one leg. Do their feet get tired, or their legs?

Sasha probably knows - I believe Tavaron told me that birds stand on alternate legs to keep their feet from freezing in winter. Could that be it? I'd love to hear this!

Yes, it looks like a Canada goose.

I wouldn't have expected its range to have included the U.K. or Russia, but it has been introduced outside North America:

"native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, and its migration occasionally reaches northern Europe. It has been introduced to the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, and the Falkland Islands."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_goose

"why one leg" it's a juvenile saying foot off to it's elders

(yike coming)

Squadrons of geese march along the road nearest the river in our park. They seem so very soldier-like. No wonder the expression "goose-stepping" was invented.

OK! So I wasn't conscripted as a carrier pigeon in WW2
But! I did lose a leg in the practicable part of the test surely! That covers me for a pension ?

Geese are able to get two kinds of pensions: the basic one that guarantees them half a cup of goose food per day. The other one is much more generous, but shorter, and watch out for Christmas. Remember that song, "Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat?

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=christmas+is+coming+the+goose+is+getting+fat+youtube&qs=n&sp=-1&pq=christmas+is+coming+the+goose+is+getting+fat+youtube&sc=0-52&sk=&cvid=A1AF5B013AD94484BD9C7B29A0C6B86B&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dchristmas%2520is%2520coming%2520the%2520goose%2520is%2520getting%2520fat%2520youtube%26qs%3dn%26form%3dQBRE%26sp%3d-1%26pq%3dchristmas%2520is%2520coming%2520the%2520goose%2520is%2520getting%2520fat%2520youtube%26sc%3d0-52%26sk%3d%26cvid%3dA1AF5B013AD94484BD9C7B29A0C6B86B&view=detail&mmscn=vwrc&mid=CD1D693448D11777B7AECD1D693448D11777B7AE&FORM=WRVORC

Yes, I agree with Tavaron that alternating feet helps to prevent problems with the cold. Also birds' feet have clever circulation in them to reduce heat loss from the body (the blood vessels are close together, so incoming blood warms the outgoing blood), but they lose even less heat when one foot is tucked up against the body

I applied for the role of Long John Silver but! That bloody parrot on his shoulders stole my thunder

Yes, Penguins have that circulation solution too, I remember reading, if II remember correctly.