How many leg muscles does a bird have? (1 Viewer)

[tomjenner]

I am currently doing some consultancy work that involves checking an article for accuracy and I need some help with a piece of information that I cannot find anywhere. A comment is made in the article that "The Ostrich's legs have a total of 36 muscles, located across five main areas: the pelvic, femoral, tibiotarsal, tarsometatarsal and digital areas". One of the questions they asked me was "is that 36 in total or in each leg?". I have searched far and wide, but cannot find the answer. Can anyone help? I presume that most birds have a similar number of leg muscles, so any information along these lines would help.
Tom

 

[Tero]

Can anyone help? I presume that most birds have a similar number of leg muscles, so any information along these lines would help.
Tom

I would think that they are not the same number in all birds. Birds have evolved over a long period, and some species that are still around are much older than others.

I have a picture of a bird leg. Some muscles are labeled, they are not all counted.

The logical way to describe it would be 36 in each leg. I am just using common sense there.

 

[Tero]

Since the topic came up, not that it is any help to Tom, here is a picture of major bird muscles. For those that are interested.
http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Birds/Avian-Muscle.html

The fact that a bird has 175 muscles leaves me puzzled. Is the heart the odd one? Only one that has no pair.

 

[alanhill]

The Cambridge Enclopedia of Ornithology says:

"The muscles of the leg are much more variable than those of the wings, reflecting the much wider variety in use of the legs. Most of the approximately 35 muscles of the leg are found in the upper two-thirds. Only in a few birds such as hawks and owls, which strongly grasp prey, are the muscles along the tarsus well developed. Not only does having the muscles close to the body provide mechanical advantages, it also places them where they are insulated by feathers instead of lying exposed on the usually naked tarsus." Etc.

Alan Hill

 

[tomjenner]

Thanks Tero and Allen
I think that answers my question pretty conclusively.
Tom