Big Beaks Help Beat the Heat.

From Discover Magazine's 80beats Blog. To read the full text, visit http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/28/larger-beaks-help-birds-beat-the-heat/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+80beats+%2880beats%29



What’s the News: Scientists have long known that the size and shape of a bird’s beak is largely dependent on its diet. A hummingbird’s long, thin beak, for example, allows it to reach deep down into a tubular flower to get nectar. But in a new study in the journal Ecography, scientists have found that birds in warm climates have evolved beaks larger than their cooler-climate counterparts as a means of staying cool (birds, like most animals, don’t sweat). The new study adds weight to past research suggesting the same thing.

Very interesting, that's why Macaws and Great Billed Parrots have such huge beaks..

Nice! THanks for posting that!

Does that mean Scotty is ready for Death Valley ?

i thought macaws had big beaks to bite harder...lol


dusty