Twitter | @DannyDutch

The Way That Pelicans Stretch Is Making Twitter Seriously Uncomfortable

Although a lot of us really like animals, it often doesn't take too long in the process of learning about them for us to discover something that shatters our illusions about the cuter ones.

A lot of our favorite animals' dark sides tend to come out when they're mating, as you'll learn if you're unfortunate enough to hear how ducks, otters, and dolphins do it. Ducks are my favorite animals, so I assure you I'm in the same boat, too.

But some animals can find a way to disturb us just by hanging around on their own, as some Twitter users discovered when they saw bizarre photos of pelicans trying to relax.

Yesterday, Twitter user @DannyDutch shared something he wasn't sure he wanted to know himself with the rest of us.

Twitter | @DannyDutch

As he tweeted out, "if a Pelican overheats it can pull its spine through its mouth to cool down."

He also posted a series of photos to confirm that he wasn't making this up. Lucky us.

But while he wasn't wrong about the part where the birds put their spines through their mouths, he wasn't entirely accurate on the reason for it.

Twitter | @TetZoo

As zoologist Darren Naish explained in a reply, this unnerving-looking process is called glottis-exposure and doesn't have anything to do with overheating.

Instead, this is just what pelicans do to stretch.

Twitter | @DannyDutch

As the book A Dictionary of Birds confirmed, glottis-exposure is how pelicans stretch their throat and upper breast area, as well as the gular pouch.

This refers to the pouch under their beaks that allow them to catch and store fish.

Perhaps without realizing it, @DannyDutch also revealed that pelicans aren't the only birds to do this.

Twitter | @DannyDutch

Although two of the birds he showed exhibiting glottis-exposure were indeed pelicans, the other two were their more intimidating cousins, the shoebills.

The two bird types do have some similarities, though.

And the fact that both shoebills and pelicans practice glottis-exposure illustrates the kinship between them.

Twitter | @DannyDutch

As Naish said, the similarity in anatomy and genetics between the two birds indicates a common ancestor and this behavior is just an example of that evidence that jumps out the most.

So I guess this is just a reminder that the grass is always greener on the other side. We may not be able to fly, but we also don't have to pull our spines through our mouths when we feel a little stiff.

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