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Why do some anseriform birds have spurs on their wings?
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Anseriform
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos).
In many anseriform birds, such as the screamers, the spur-winged goose, and the torrent duck, horny knobs or projecting spurs are located on the wrist joint at the end of the wing.1
These structures serve different purposes depending on the species:
- Defense: In the case of screamers and the spur-winged goose, these spurs are used to strike adversaries.1
- Locomotion: For the torrent duck, the spurs may assist the bird in moving over slippery rocks in fast-moving streams.1