I am largely ignorant when it comes to birds and birding, so when a friend told me the following last night, I nodded and left it at that.
He said that when visiting the Kruger a while back, they saw many ground birds with stump legs. A warden told him that they lose their feet when perching on hot braai grids to peck at scraps stuck there. Now this sounds a bit strange to me?
Won't a grid that is hot enough to cause irreparable tissue damage, be hot enough for the bird not to perch on it. Or won't it feel its feet burning and immediately take off again, with minimal damage? Or are the toes thin enough that just landing on a hot object can cook them? And why only one foot?

Anyone with some insight?