Where does a Woodpecker keep its long tongue?

Extract from " Birds and their Ways"
A woodpecker's tongue is longer than its head so where does it keep it?

[@themonk3644]

I like how I'm slowly learning about real woodpeckers just because I've been watching so many Woody woodpecker videos

[@hc3733]

Thank you, Spronkk

[@WimSpronk]

When the woodpecker brings its tongue back from the hole in the tree all insects captured end up in its mouth. By this time the tip of the tongue reaches the mouth and is used to manoevre the prey into the back of the throat so that it can be swallowed.

[@nexus8720]

Woodpeckers are nice until one finds your pipes and bangs on it

[@RabiesVariant01]

This is a lie, the base of the tongue is not in the nostril. It's actually shaped like a Y, with one branch of the Y being exceptionally long.

[@WimSpronk]

+Zexion98 Thanks for your comment. This is interesting. Could you elaborate some more ?

[@RabiesVariant01]

***** It's kind of difficult to explain without an actual model, but the part of the tongue in the nostril is not actually "rooted" there. when this species of woodpecker is a juvenile, they're tongues are essentially just like those of chickens. It's only when they become adults that a branch of the tongue elongated and reaches behind the skull and to the nostril.

[@angelov_x]

Why the tongue is attached to the right nostril and not the left ?are there any evolutionary advantages? Im just curious

[@joseville]

In English woodpeckers, the tongue is attached to the left nostril. Same for woodpeckers from other countries where driver's drive on the left side of the road.

[@angelov_x]

@@joseville 100%

[@Ricobaca]

Okay thanks.

[@SmartPDOnline]

So how the heck do they swallow?

[@vinayakssreejith1004]

cool

[@MON_KA189]

wrong they just mew really hard

[@fruitpunchsamurai8]

Wowwwwww

[@feelnfroggy291]

The movie, "Concussion", brought me here.

[@kam_pah]

Не знал что у них так устроен язык О.о

[@MicroWavedChicken]

in its mouth

[@Reivehn]

No, In its nose O-O