Birds Use Tongues as Nectar Straws

New research documents sunbirds using a V‑shaped groove and airtight bill seal to suction nectar up their tongues — the first known vertebrate use of tongue‑suction rather than capillary or sponge‑like mechanisms. Scientists recorded the behavior in the field and with 3D‑printed flowers and high‑speed cameras, noting bubble formation and suction dynamics that rule out capillarity. — This finding reshapes our understanding of convergent evolution and feeding biomechanics and creates a plausible source of design patterns for microfluidics and soft robotics, with downstream implications for pollination ecology and biomimicry policy priorities.