A bird or animal having toes or digits arranged in an unusual or atypical pattern, different from the standard four-toe arrangement.
From Greek hetero- (different) and daktylos (finger/toe), describing animals with non-standard digit arrangements.
Most birds have a standard four-toe arrangement, but some like owls and kingfishers have heterodactyl feet where they can swing one toe backward, giving them incredible gripping power!
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