Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Pollination and Flower Structure02:40

Pollination and Flower Structure

65.2K
Flowers are the reproductive, seed-producing structures of angiosperms. Typically, flowers consist of sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels. Sepals and petals are the vegetative flower organs. Stamens and carpels are the reproductive organs.  
65.2K
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores02:40

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

13.1K
Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the...
13.1K
Osmoregulation in Insects01:47

Osmoregulation in Insects

16.5K
Malpighian tubules are specialized structures found in the digestive systems of many arthropods, including most insects, that handle excretion and osmoregulation. The tubules are typically arranged in pairs and have a convoluted structure that increases their surface area.
16.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Draft assemblies for 177 bird species enhance genus-level coverage.

GigaScience·2026
Same author

Computer vision analysis to identify episodic flapping in hovering hummingbirds.

Biology open·2026
Same author

Scaling and foraging behaviour drive the evolution of humeral shape in hummingbirds.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2026
Same author

Convergent mechanisms, divergent strategies: a comparison of nectar intake between a generalist and a specialist bat species.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026
Same author

Convergent and lineage-specific genomic changes shape adaptations in sugar-consuming birds.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

Morphological diversity in the honeyeater hyolingual apparatus and its relationship with nectarivory.

PloS one·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 27, 2025

Behavioural Pharmacology in Classical Conditioning of the Proboscis Extension Response in Honeybees Apis mellifera
10:36

Behavioural Pharmacology in Classical Conditioning of the Proboscis Extension Response in Honeybees Apis mellifera

Published on: January 24, 2011

19.5K

How do honeyeaters drink nectar?

Amanda E Hewes1,2, Maude W Baldwin3, William A Buttemer4

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.

Integrative and Comparative Biology
|June 6, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Honeyeaters exhibit diverse nectar-feeding strategies, with some using capillary action and others an expansive tongue-filling mechanism similar to hummingbirds. These biomechanical differences influence how birds collect nectar.

More Related Videos

A Novel Behavioral Assay to Investigate Gustatory Responses of Individual, Freely-moving Bumble Bees Bombus terrestris
07:30

A Novel Behavioral Assay to Investigate Gustatory Responses of Individual, Freely-moving Bumble Bees Bombus terrestris

Published on: July 21, 2016

8.8K
SwarmSight: Real-time Tracking of Insect Antenna Movements and Proboscis Extension Reflex Using a Common Preparation and Conventional Hardware
08:13

SwarmSight: Real-time Tracking of Insect Antenna Movements and Proboscis Extension Reflex Using a Common Preparation and Conventional Hardware

Published on: December 25, 2017

8.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 27, 2025

Behavioural Pharmacology in Classical Conditioning of the Proboscis Extension Response in Honeybees Apis mellifera
10:36

Behavioural Pharmacology in Classical Conditioning of the Proboscis Extension Response in Honeybees Apis mellifera

Published on: January 24, 2011

19.5K
A Novel Behavioral Assay to Investigate Gustatory Responses of Individual, Freely-moving Bumble Bees Bombus terrestris
07:30

A Novel Behavioral Assay to Investigate Gustatory Responses of Individual, Freely-moving Bumble Bees Bombus terrestris

Published on: July 21, 2016

8.8K
SwarmSight: Real-time Tracking of Insect Antenna Movements and Proboscis Extension Reflex Using a Common Preparation and Conventional Hardware
08:13

SwarmSight: Real-time Tracking of Insect Antenna Movements and Proboscis Extension Reflex Using a Common Preparation and Conventional Hardware

Published on: December 25, 2017

8.2K

Area of Science:

  • Ornithology
  • Biomechanics
  • Zoology

Background:

  • Honeyeaters are vital pollinators with extensive research on foraging ecology.
  • Previous studies have not examined the kinematics and biomechanics of nectar feeding in honeyeaters.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the kinematics and biomechanics of nectar feeding in five honeyeater species.
  • To describe tongue movements, bill-tongue coordination, and nectar uptake mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of high-speed video footage of nectar feeding in captive honeyeaters.
  • Focus on tongue kinematics, including velocity, protrusion, and retraction durations.
  • Characterization of nectar uptake mechanisms, such as capillary filling and expansive filling.

Main Results:

  • Significant interspecific variation in feeding kinematics and tongue-filling mechanics was observed.
  • Certhionyx variegatus uniquely utilized capillary filling.
  • Four species employed a modified expansive filling mechanism, involving tongue body expansion, similar to hummingbirds.
  • All species demonstrated fluid trapping in the distal fimbriated tongue, supporting the 'paintbrush' hypothesis.

Conclusions:

  • Honeyeater nectar feeding involves diverse biomechanical strategies, including capillary and expansive filling.
  • Tongue morphology and kinematics are key adaptations for efficient nectar uptake.
  • Findings advance understanding of avian feeding mechanisms and their ecological implications.