biomedicalephemera:

American Flamingo - Phoenicopterus ruber

Flamingos aren’t naturally pink! They get their coloration from beta carotene found in the blue-green algae they consume. The flamingos that consume blue-green algae directly are much pinker than flamingos that primarily consume the blue-green algae secondhand (via zooplankton/brine shrimp). 

Flamingos are also unique in their method of eating - their bills are designed to scoop the bottom sediment and then filter out the mud and silt, leaving only the blue-green algae or the brine shrimp in their mouth. They shake their head back and forth under the water after scooping up the sediment. The big, fleshy tongue of the flamingo pushes water back and forth in the mouth and facilitates the filtering of all that mud. They also swallow their food while their head is upside-down! The meaty tongue used to be considered a delicacy among the Roman elite.

Images:
Nature Neighbors: Embracing Birds, Plants, and Minerals. Nathanial Moore Banta for the American Audubon Association, 1914.

Osteologia Avium; or, A sketch of the osteology of birds. T.C. Eyton, 1867.

annilylf:

necromorph-slayinglovemachine:

HELP I CAN’T STOP

well that’s horrifying

gonna have to reblog this one

(via blindbandt)


The company halted, and there was not a heart among them that did not quail, unless it were the heart of Legolas of the Elves, for whom the ghosts of Men have no terror.

The company halted, and there was not a heart among them that did not quail, unless it were the heart of Legolas of the Elves, for whom the ghosts of Men have no terror.

(Source: ifallelseperished, via easterchickenawesome)

willsmith420:

gwenelizz:

Someone please explain to me why Will Smith looks exactly the same as he did in 1989

image

(Source: thatgwenchick, via blueblazesnova)

catastrophyc:

feyminism:

“What is this thing, it’s so squishy. Are we going to put it on toast?”

(Source: blogtard, via easterchickenawesome)


Wellington the Corgi and his flock. 

Wellington the Corgi and his flock. 

(Source: corgiaddict, via easterchickenawesome)

(Source: snomen, via nyao-nyao)

anachronistique:

reasons I am thankful for the internet

anachronistique:

reasons I am thankful for the internet

(Source: super-marvelous, via thesurrealreal)