Hummingbirds Have The Miracle Of Tongue (VIDEO)

Hummingbirds have the miracle of tongue. But this super-slow video shows that their bizarre tongue that collect nectar is also pretty fantastic – and many more unusual than previously thought.

Nearly 200 years ago, scientists believed that hummingbirds use their own tongue in arguing “capillary” movements to absorb nectar, but scientists who made the video say that tongue she acts more like a pump sucking the nectar.

“We found that in fact a micro-pump that transforms the form of tongue and the transformation of form is what draws the liquid inside” – says Dr. Alejandro Rico – Gavarna, a scientist from the University of Connecticut and leader of the research magazine “Discover”.

With the help of super-high-speed cameras, scientists videotaped tongues of 18 species of hummingbirds while drinking liquid from transparent, made artificial flowers.

The analysis of the video showed that the tongue of each of hummingbirds takes the form of a thin groove-like tube, which swells a little when dragging and “pump” the liquid into the bird’s mouth.

The researchers tested their theory of a “pump” by comparing the computer model of micro-pump and computer model of the previous “capillary” theory. The comparison showed that the model of micro-pump allows hummingbirds to nectar collected very quickly – up to 20 times per second.

According to the researchers, the data collected in this survey, so far represent the largest set of data about the mechanism by which feed hummingbirds. They believe that this will Done better insight about the relation between the floral nectar and birds.

“Nectar is a kind of bribe. It’s a reward for hummingbirds to come often and act as pollinators of other flowers of the same species “- says dr.margaret Rubega, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and co-author of the study.

The research is published in the “Proceedings of the Royal Society“.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYoYQAbPXbU