ML614337005
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age and sex
- Unknown age, Male - 1
- Behaviors
- Foraging or eating
- Tags
- Field notes/sketch
Media notes
Stewart Fletcher, Photographer. COME male opens mouth WIDE
Observation details
COME visual 57 females or immatures and 6 males breeding plumage fishing for stunned shad near surface FIELD NOTE: Photograph a male COME that opens its mouth and widens its jaw to allow greater area to swallow larger fish or more amounts of fish (photos) similar to a snake's ability --- this is what it appears to be... no REFERENCE located to this COME behavior YET (already checked 'Birds of the World - COME'). University of Victoria biology professor Patrick T. Gregory says, "The two mandibles [of a snake] are not joined at the front by a rigid symphysis, as ours [humans] are, but by an elastic ligament that allows them [the mandibles] to spread apart." While a snake’s unique skull is incredibly flexible and versatile, no bones actually get dislocated in the process. Their mouths are just really, REALLY stretchy! Stewart Fletcher, Photographer
Technical information
- Dimensions
- 1080 pixels x 719 pixels
- Original file size
- 593.12 KB