Do birds have gluteus muscles like humans?

No, birds do not have gluteus muscles like humans. Birds have a unique pelvic structure adapted for their specific mode of locomotion, involving flight and bipedal stance. Human gluteus muscles, specifically the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus, play significant roles in stabilizing the hip joint, extending the thigh, and abducting and rotating the femur.

In birds, analogous functions are performed by a set of specific muscles that have evolved to cater to their bipedal and flying lifestyle. Instead of distinct gluteus muscles like humans, birds have an arrangement of pelvic limb muscles collectively called the caudofemoralis. The caudofemoralis complex performs various important functions involving tail movements, hip stability, and leg movement. However, birds can retract their long toes at the tarsometatarsal joint through muscles that are analogous to our gluteal muscles.