Proc Biol Sci August 2015 PMID 26290074

Hummingbird tongues are elastic micropumps.

Alejandro Rico-Guevara, Tai-Hsi Fan, Margaret A Rubega

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Peak: 1 in May 2016

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What people are saying

The discussions reflect excitement about the discovery, especially in phrases like 'working like a pump' and calls to watch videos for clearer understanding, which help contextualize the cellular mechanics. The tone balances appreciation for the detailed findings with an interest in their practical implications, making the article approachable and engaging for a broad audience.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions agree that the research unveils a fascinating mechanism behind hummingbird feeding, with some emphasizing how the elastic micropump model explains their rapid licking behavior.

InterestHigh interest

Posts demonstrate high interest, highlighting the biological innovation and sharing intriguing facts like the feeding frequency of 17 Hz, which sparks curiosity.

EngagementModerate engagement

Comments include references to watch videos and further details from the paper, indicating active engagement with specific aspects of the research.

ImpactModerate impact

While some recognize the study's significance for understanding bird physiology, the overall perception is that it has moderate scientific impact rather than a groundbreaking shift.

Abstract in brief

Hummingbird tongues function as elastic micropumps that rapidly load nectar through a mechanism involving reexpansion of collapsed tongue grooves, rather than relying on capillary action.
High-speed camera observations across multiple hummingbird species showed that during nectar feeding, the tongue compresses and remains flattened until it contacts nectar, then reshapes and fills with nectar without forming menisci.
This elastic recovery-based pumping allows hummingbirds to feed at higher rates than capillarity-based models predict, explaining their fast licking behavior and more efficient nectar extraction.

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