Hummingbirds use their long, thin beaks to get at the nectar in tube-shaped flowers and hummingbird feeders. Like most birds, they are not capable of producing suction to pull the nectar up through their beak. How do they manage to drink the nectar?
Answer:
Inside that long, thin beak is an even longer tongue. The hummingbird's tongue is forked at the end, and covered with tiny, feathery flaps. When the tip of the tongue touches a drop of flower nectar, the flaps spread out to trap liquid in much the same way that the fibers of a paint brush trap the paint. The tongue is pulled back into the mouth where the nectar is removed, and then it flicks out again. Hummingbirds can flick their tongues in and out more than 12 times per second, allowing them to consume several times their body weight in nectar every day.
Non-subscriber
