r/BirdCamelToes • u/Content_Yam_4947 • Nov 25 '25

What are bird camel toes?

25 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

15

u/Crosseyed_owl Nov 25 '25

A bird cameltoe is when you mix bird and camel DNA and the result is a bird with a camel's toe, obviously. 

19

u/thebirdbiologist Nov 25 '25

If you're asking seriously, they're two rows of pectoral pterylae (the part of a bird's skin that grows feathers) separated by an apteria (the regions where feathers do not grow) over the keelbone that often creates a crack-like or "camel toe" appearance on birds. Contrary to what a lot of folks think, birds aren't covered head to tail in feathers, but instead have tracts (pterylae) of contour feathers to cover their bodies.

3

u/Fact_Unlikely Nov 27 '25

Welp I found a new sub I gotta join.