Beaks and Feet of birds

Beaks and Feet

Over time, both the beaks and feet of birds have adapted to the many different environments in which birds live. As Charles Darwin first noted during his famous visit to the Galapagos Islands, beaks have developed to help a particular bird eat its preferred diet. For example, hummingbirds have long, narrow beaks suited for eating nectar from flowers; hawks have sharp beaks useful for tearing apart their prey; and birds on islands where cacti are plentiful have beaks that allow them to efficiently find and eat cactus fruit.

Parrots have beaks that are strong and shaped rather like hooks. With their flexible necks, parrots can use their beaks not only to crack tough outer shells on nuts and fruit, but also to preen and groom and to defend themselves. In addition, their strong beaks can be used to help them climb and swing and to help build nests and feed their chicks.

By way of comparison, canaries have straight, short beaks. These beaks are ideally shaped for finding and consuming the seeds and grubs that comprise their diet in their native environment on the Canary Islands and Madeira. However, the short beaks are not as useful for climbing or defending themselves.

Birds do not have teeth; their jaws, therefore, are light in weight. This is just one of many adaptations in birds to reduce body weight and make flight easier. Birds use a special body organ, known as the crop, to store their food before it is passed on to the stomach. Many, though not all, birds will eat and store sand and small stones in their ventriculus (gizzard) to assist in grinding food.

Birds' feet have also adapted to their particular habitat. Waterbirds, including ducks and geese, have webbed feet. As any scuba diver can confirm, webbed feet are very helpful in moving in the water. Owls, hawks, falcons, eagles, and other raptors have feet with sharp talons that help catch their prey. Perching birds (passerines and psittacines) have feet with specialized tendons for grasping tree branches. And smaller birds, such as sparrows, have feet that adapt to flat surfaces as well as branches.

Birds have developed different types of beaks.

Parrots, many of which are native to jungles, have feet that have evolved to function very efficiently. Parrots use their feet not only to help them perch securely on branches, but also to hold and move objects and foods in their environment. Unlike most other birds, parrots frequently use their feet in ways that people would use their hands.