Male Shoveler Duck - Anas clypeata
The Shoveler's method of feeding is thought to harvest around 10 per cent of it's own body weight in a day. When feeding a Shoveler can pump water in and around it's large beak with it's tongue. By moving the tongue backwards and forwards which can be more than 10 times per second the Shoveler can collect food particles that are trapped on the filtering lamellae of the beak and bristly tongue and then transferred to the back of the mouth in which to be swallowed.
Male Shoveler Duck - Anas clypeata
The Shoveler's method of feeding is thought to harvest around 10 per cent of it's own body weight in a day. When feeding a Shoveler can pump water in and around it's large beak with it's tongue. By moving the tongue backwards and forwards which can be more than 10 times per second the Shoveler can collect food particles that are trapped on the filtering lamellae of the beak and bristly tongue and then transferred to the back of the mouth in which to be swallowed.