Big Bill

The poster'[toucan's:s] long bill has long perplexed biologists. Darwin theorized that it attracted mates. Other suggested uses ranged from fruit peeling to territorial [defense:intense] . But a report in the July 24th issue of the journal Science offers another [explanation:examination] as to why one-third of the bird is all schnoz. The authors of the report say the toucan's bill is so big because it acts like a radiator [strapped:secured] to its face. When a toucan needs to cool down, its beak heats up. The immense surface area of the beak allows heat to quickly dissipate. In fact, the [scientists:researchers] say, as a toucan lowers its body temperature in [preparation:seperation] for sleep, it can cool 10 degrees Celsius in just minutes.