DID YOU EVER WONDER WHY SO MANY BIRD BEAKS? Do people have a variety of mouths or teeth for eating? Why or why not?

Cracker Style Seed eaters like sparrows and cardinals have a short, thick cone- shaped beak (bill) for cracking seeds.

Shredder Type Birds of prey like hawks and owls have a sharp, curved bill for tearing meat (prey)

Chisel Type Woodpeckers have bills that are long and chisel-like for holing (boring) into wood to eat insects.

Probe Stlye Hummingbirds bills are long and slender for probing flowers for nectar.

Strainer type Some ducks have a long, flat beak that strains small plants and animals from the water.

Strainer (cont’d) Along the inside of the beak they have tiny rows of plates called lamellae like a whale's baleen. These let them filter water out of the side of their beaks and keep food inside.lamellaebaleen

Spear Type Birds like heron and kingfish have spear- like beaks adapted for fishing

Tweezer Type Insect eaters like warblers have a thin pointed beak.

Swiss Army Knife Crows have a multi-purpose beak that allows them to eat fruit, seeds, insects, fish, and other animals.

Beaks At A Glance