Description
A great blue heron folded over on itself in a tangle of winter branches, one foot brought all the way up to the head, bill tucked down, the whole bird curled into a shape that is unmistakably Rodin. Chin on hand, deep in thought. Then you look again and realize he is scratching his head.
There is a reason he has to. A bird can preen almost its entire body with its bill — but not its own head and neck, which are the one place the bill cannot reach. The foot is the only tool available up there. So evolution put the grooming kit on the foot: a heron’s middle toe carries a pectinate claw, a genuinely comb-like claw with fine teeth along one edge, used to work through the head feathers and clear out parasites, dust and fish slime.
Which makes this photograph a good deal less philosophical than it looks, and a good deal more interesting. He is not contemplating anything. He is using a comb that grew out of his foot, while balancing on one leg, in a tree, in the wind.
This is also the frame behind the “Did I make the right hair choice?” image on my Nature Is Funny page.
This is a high-resolution digital download of the photograph, made in Portland, Oregon — yours to print for your home or office, set as a wallpaper, or simply keep.
What you’ll receive: a high-resolution JPEG, approximately 3968 × 2400 pixels — sharp enough to print at full photo quality up to about 13 × 8 inches at 300 DPI, and considerably larger for wall display. Delivered as an instant download the moment your order is complete.
License: Personal use only. Print it for your own home, use it as a wallpaper or screen background, enjoy it yourself. Not licensed for commercial use, resale, redistribution, or AI training. © Jonathan Swanson / JonSwan Productions. All rights reserved.