"The results provide definitive evidence that thermoregulation is a principal function of unipedal resting in flamingoes, " Anderson confirms.

BBC: Earth News - Why flamingoes stand on one leg

"Given the wading lifestyle of flamingoes, perhaps unipedal resting helps reduce fungal or parasite load as well, " says Anderson.

BBC: Earth News - Why flamingoes stand on one leg

But as flamingoes tend to spend much longer filter feeding in water than these other birds, this remains speculation, Anderson says.

BBC: Earth News - Why flamingoes stand on one leg

Others birds, such as herons, storks, ducks and many others also often stand on a single leg in water, perhaps for the same reasons as flamingoes.

BBC: Earth News - Why flamingoes stand on one leg

However, the researchers did find that flamingoes prefer to stand on one leg far more often when they are standing in water than when standing on land, they report in the journal Zoo Biology.

BBC: Earth News - Why flamingoes stand on one leg