Mechanics
The Balancing Bird
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How can this bird balance on just its beak?
Its wings are weighted so that the bird’s centre of mass lies below the point of support. If the bird tilts, gravity pulls its centre of mass back underneath the support point, making the balance stable.
That is why the bird can perch on a fingertip or tiny stand without falling.
Give the bird a nudge and it rocks and wobbles back to balance instead of tipping over, since gravity keeps pulling its low center of mass back to center.
Additional Information
As long as an object’s center of gravity sits directly below its support point, it will balance — no matter how strange the pose looks.
Tightrope walkers use the same trick, holding a long pole to lower their effective center of gravity below their feet.