Book 31, Question 28
Why is a woodpecker’s tongue so long?
A woodpecker uses its long tongue to reach insects deep inside tunnels in wood.
The tongue is attached to special bones that wrap around the back of the skull, so there is room for a very long tongue to stretch out. The tip is sticky or barbed, which helps grab food. When the tongue is not in use, it tucks back like a measuring tape rolling up.
Watch the videoWatch on YouTubeSee the series on Amazon
Quick answers
Why is a woodpecker’s tongue so long?
Woodpeckers are famous for their wood-chiseling beaks, but they are also equipped with an amazing tongue.
Source: adfg.alaska.gov
More fun facts
- The back of the tongue is attached to a strong, muscular sheath, connected to complex of long bones called the hyoid.
- The hyoid bone wraps around the head, from the rostral end at the beak to the supraorbital ridge between the two orbits.
- One common adaptation in woodpeckers is the unusual shape of the elongated tongue, also called the hyoid apparatus.
- The tip of the tongue is sharp and barbed, like a tiny harpoon, and their saliva contains a gluey mucus that helps the tongue act like fly paper.
Sources: adfg.alaska.gov, National Institutes of Health