Chill bill.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Check out this bird's enormous beak. Scientists have long wondered why toucans have such supersize bills. A recent study might have found the answer: The tropical birds use their beaks to control their body temperature. Birds don't sweat, so they need other ways to deal with warm temperatures, says Glenn Tattersail, a biologist at Brock University in Canada who directed the study. Using special infrared (invisible heat energy) cameras, Tattersall looked to see how the birds give off heat. He found that in hot weather, more blood flows through the bill. This draws warmth away from the rest of the bird's body, keeping it cool. When the thermometer dips, less blood flows through the bill, keeping the bird's body toasty. |
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