Is that a one-legged owl? Nearly all birds routinely perch or stand on just one leg. The “missing” leg is drawn up close to the body, hidden under the feathers. Why do they do this? We receive several calls each month about a “poor one-legged owl” needing rescue as it just stands motionless. Actually, this is a comfortable pose for an owl or hawk. Better yet, it demonstrates the bird is calm and not threatened. Another more important reason for a one-legged pose is to regulate the body temperature in the cold. Rotating the one-legged stance cuts in half the amount of exposure to the cold air/water and also helps warm up that cold foot.