The Tongue

by Nick Boren

Title

The Tongue

Artist

Nick Boren

Medium

Photograph - Nikon Photography

Description

I was fortunate to get another Anna's hummingbird with the full extension of the tongue. As one can clearly see, the tongue on these beautiful little creatures are longer than their beaks, allowing them to feed deep into various flowers and nectar feeders.

These birds amaze me with all the various things they can do, and they are so intelligent!

It is winter time now, and this one has decided to stay in the area instead of migrating down south where the temps are much milder than here in western Oregon. I often wonder how and when they decide to stay? Fascinating birds they are!

From Wikipedia:


While all hummingbirds depend on flower nectar to fuel their high metabolisms and hovering flight, coordinated changes in flower and bill shape stimulated the formation of new species of hummingbirds and plants. Due to this exceptional evolutionary pattern, as many as 140 hummingbird species can coexist in a specific region, such as the Andes range.[42]

The hummingbird evolutionary tree shows that one key evolutionary factor appears to have been an altered taste receptor that enabled hummingbirds to seek nectar.[48]

Upon maturity, males of a particular species, Phaethornis longirostris, the long-billed hermit, appear to be evolving a dagger-like weapon on the beak tip as a secondary sexual trait to defend mating areas.[49]

Uploaded

December 27th, 2023

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