August 13: International Left-Handers Day

August 13th marks International Left-Handers Day — a day to celebrate the roughly 10% of people who write, eat, and live with their left hand, in a world built for the right-handed majority.

But while we’re thinking about lefties, here’s a question that’s probably never crossed your mind:

Can birds be left-handed, too?

At first glance, the idea of “handedness” in birds sounds a bit absurd. After all, they don’t have hands — just wings, feet, beaks, and feathers. 

But look a little closer, and you’ll notice something intriguing: many birds show a preference for one side of their body over the other. In fact, this kind of “side bias” is surprisingly common across the animal kingdom. 

Scientists call it lateralization — the tendency for the left and right sides of the brain to take on different roles. And it’s not just a quirky habit; it can shape how animals move, hunt, and even see the world. 

So, in honor of Left-Handers Day, let’s turn our attention to our feathered neighbors. Can a bird be “left-footed”? Does it tend to rely more on one wing than the other? And if so, what can those preferences tell us about how it experiences life? 

The answer is yes — and the story is far more fascinating than you might think. 

Let’s fly in. 

What is Handedness?

In simple terms, handedness is the preference for using one side of the body more than the other. For humans, it’s most commonly seen as our tendency to write, eat, or throw with our right hand, or for the minority, the left hand. 

Here’s the most fun part: side preference isn’t just something we have. Animals, including birds, also show tendencies toward one side of their bodies being more dominant than the other. This is known as lateralization. 

Lateralization refers to how certain tasks or functions are handled by one hemisphere of the brain more than the other. For humans, the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and vice versa — and this pattern appears in the animal kingdom, too. 

What’s even more interesting is that this side preference isn’t random. It’s often consistent, which means some birds (and other animals) might be “left-footed” or “right-winged” throughout their entire lives. This lateralization of brain functions allows them to perform tasks more efficiently. 

So, while birds might not write or throw with their “hands,” they certainly have their own form of side preference. 

How does ‘left-handed’ show up in birds

So now we know that side preference, or lateralization, isn’t a purely human thing. But how does it actually show up in birds? 

Take parrots, for example. Watch one closely while it eats, and you might notice it always reaches for food with the same foot. Some are “left-footed,” others “right-footed,” but each bird tends to stay loyal to its own choice, much like how people stick to their dominant hand. 

Chickens are another fun case. The experiment shows that light exposure during the embryonic stage influences the development of lateralized behavior in chicks, affecting which eye they use to observe companions and make social decisions. 

Wing preference also comes into play. Certain birds find it easier to turn one way than the other during flight. If you’ve seen a murmuration of starlings twisting and diving together, chances are many of them are following their dominant side — without the faintest idea they’re doing it. 

Nest-building can show similar quirks. Some songbirds pile more materials on one side of the nest or approach it from a consistent direction. Others seem to prefer weaving clockwise rather than counterclockwise, especially when working with enclosed or hanging nests. 

One study even found that zebra finches tend to start nest construction on the left side more often than the right, suggesting a possible built-in spatial bias. This kind of lateralization may not just be a behavioral quirk — it could help birds build more efficiently or allow their brains to process construction tasks more smoothly. 

Why Does Side Preference Matter for Birds? 

You might be thinking: So what if a bird prefers its left foot? Does it really mean anything? 

The answer is yes — and quite a lot, actually. A bird’s side preference isn’t just a quirky habit. It’s linked to how its brain is wired, how it navigates daily life, and even how it survives in the wild. 

Having a dominant side can make a bird more efficient. For instance, it might consistently use one eye to scan for predators while the other keeps track of food or companions. This division of labor lets its brain process multiple streams of information without getting overloaded. 

Weird and Wonderful Bird Facts You Might’ve Missed

Here are a few more bird facts that you might ignore, but deserve some attention: 

• Pigeons can recognize themselves in a mirror. Not all birds can do this — and honestly, not all humans either — but pigeons show a hint of self-awareness. 

• Birds experience REM sleep, just like we do. Which means, they probably dream. 

• Crows can count and understand basic physics. Think of the famous story where a crow drops stones into a pitcher to raise the water level. 
• Magpies may mourn their dead. Some have been observed quietly gathering around a fallen member, not calling or flying away, just… staying near. 

Final Thoughts (and a Challenge for You)

Now that you know birds can be “lefties” in their own way, here’s something to try: 

The next time you spot a pigeon, parrot, chicken, or sparrow, watch it closely. Does it always lead with the same foot? Use the same eye when pecking at something? If so, you might witnes a tiny glimpse of lateralization in action.