FlipFact of the Day: Unlike most birds, flamingos are filter feeders. They strain food from the water via complex rows of horny plates lining their beaks.
Due to this method of feeding, flamingos eat with their heads down. Their bills have adapted to this feeding style; their lower bills are larger and stronger than their upper jaws, which are not rigidly fixed to their skulls.
While its head is upside down, the flamingo’s tongue aids in pumping the water in and out of its beak to trap food, about three or four times per second.
Today’s Science History Milestone: On September 7, 1936, the last known thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) died at the Hobart Zoo in Tasmania.
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Cover: Roberto Russi
References
- https://web.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Flamingo_Feeding.html
Author: Mikael Angelo Francisco
Bitten by the science writing bug, Mikael has years of writing and editorial experience under his belt. As the editor-in-chief of FlipScience, Mikael has sworn to help make science more fun and interesting for geeky readers and casual audiences alike.
