Huffin’ and puffin: seabirds use large bills to dissipate heat from energetically demanding flight

Endothermic animals regulate body temperature by balancing metabolic heat production and heat exchange with the environment. Heat dissipation is especially important during and immediately after demanding activities such as flapping flight, the most energetically expensive mode of locomotion. As uninsulated appendages, bird bills present a potential avenue for efficient heat dissipation. Puffins possess large bills and are members of the bird...