Birds are one of the most amazing representatives of the animal world. Despite the general plan of the structure, they are all very diverse. And the beak of birds is no exception. In our article, we will consider the features of its structure among representatives of different systematic groups of birds.
General characteristics of birds
The main feature of these animals is their ability to fly. For this, birds have a number of adaptive features:
- the body is streamlined;
- forelimbs modified into wings;
- the presence of feather cover;
- hollow bones, as well as the presence of a keel - a protrusion of the sternum;
- double breathing
- warm-bloodedness.
Beak structure
"Visiting card" of each species is its beak. The photo of the beaks of birds in our article once again proves this. At the eagle, it is bent down, at the goose - flat and equipped with special teeth, and at the swallow it is thin and sharp. The beak of birds - this is the jaw. Their bone tissue is covered with horny substance, which in its chemical composition resembles human hair and nails. At the base of the upper part of the beak there are nostrils through which air enters the body.
If we compare the functional features of the jaws of man and birds, then we can say that in the latter they differ in great diversity and specialization. This is not only a device for the extraction and ingestion of food. With the help of a beak, birds obtain building material for nests, build dwellings for themselves, and rely on during climbing. Some aquatic birds use it as a filter apparatus.
Which bird has a beak?
Popular wisdom says: "Every bird is fed with its beak." And this is no coincidence. The shape, length and size of the beak is really determined by the method of food extraction and its nature.
For example, an ibis is a bird with a long beak. Thanks to this structure, it can extract any living creature from shallow water or from the soil. Everyone knows the pelican's beak. Below it has a leathery bag, which the bird uses to catch fish. And woodpeckers use a beak as a bit, with the help of which it makes holes in the bark of trees. So the bird gets insects and their larvae.
According to the method of nutrition and the characteristics of the life of birds, you can combine in several groups. Let's look at each of them and the corresponding types of beaks in more detail.
Predatory beak
The birds of this group are significant and capable of "soaring" flight. This feature allows them to track prey in the open. Then the predators fly down with a stone and stick sharp claws into their prey. Their beak has a bent down shape and is very sharp. Therefore, vultures, eagles, hawks and falcons easily tear prey meat to pieces.
Water birds
This group includes geese, swans, ducks. Their beak has a flat shape and is equipped with denticles and plates of horny matter. With their help, the birds chop and grind food.
But the loons, which are also representatives of waterfowl, have a pointed beak. These birds feed on small fish that they catch when diving.
Snipe is a bird with a long beak. She lives in swamps, taking out small vertebrates from the mud. Such a beak also has a heron, which allows it to hold the fish. It is considered a near-water bird because it does not have a coccygeal gland. This feature does not allow her to swim and dive.
Grain birds
Bullfinches and Carduelis prefer seeds, buds and berries as a favorite treat. Therefore, their beak is short, but thick. This feature allows granivorous birds not to exert significant efforts in obtaining food.
The absorption of seeds occurs in them in different ways. For example, representatives of chicken swallow them, without crushing. They have a well-developed muscular stomach and goiter, in which food is chemically processed within a few hours.
Reel using beak not only collect seeds. These birds first clean them of the inedible peel, and then crush the core, chopping food. Such a process is possible due to a massive beak with a sharp tip and developed muscles.
Birds that swallow seeds fully contribute to their spread. When passing through the intestines, they practically do not lose their ability to germinate, and often even increase this quality.
Meet the Insectivores
The beak of birds that prefer insects can be of various shapes and lengths. However, it is always thin and sharp. Representatives of this group of birds are swallows, starlings, swifts, tits, blackbirds, flycatchers, orioles, cuckoos.
They consume a particularly large amount of food while feeding offspring. At the same time, insectivorous birds destroy the malicious pests of agriculture: leaf beetles, moths, gherkins, aphids. They collect their food in the soil, grass, bushes.
Environmentalists believe that it is the activity of birds that does not allow harmful insects to reproduce in catastrophic forms. An interesting fact is that under favorable conditions, insectivores can change eating habits. This is very important in the development of certain types of pests. Therefore, there is a pattern: if a large number of birds appeared within the range, then intensive reproduction of insects is observed here, and vice versa.
It is worth noting that birds with various types of beaks have additional features that allow them to get food. In predators, these are wide wings, providing a βsoaringβ flight, and sharp claws. And granivores have well-developed muscles.
Thus, the beak of birds corresponds to the nature of the food and the method of its extraction. According to these characteristics, birds are combined into several groups:
- Predatory - they have a powerful beak bent down. This allows them to attack the prey, hold and tear it.
- Waterfowl - include birds with two species of beaks. The first of them is flat and equipped with a device for grinding food. The second is sharp and long, allowing you to search for vertebrates in the water.
- Grain-eating - have a short, but very powerful beak. They develop great power when crushing seeds and fruits.
- Insectivores - characterized by a sharp and thin beak. This allows you to get food from the most inaccessible places.