Ever wonder why birds have so many different beak shapes and sizes? Try out this fun activity to learn why!
Materials
- Paperclip
- Scissors
- Pliers
- Tweezers
- Paper
- Blueberries
- Rice
- Plate
How to Test Your Different Bird Beaks
Throughout this activity, our tools will represent our different bird beaks.
Notice which tool you pick for each step and think about why you made each choice.
Step 1
Take the piece of paper and cut it three times down its length.
Which tool did you use?
Now put all of the newly cut pieces of paper on top of each other and try cutting it again.
What happens and why do you think this is?
Step 2
Take all of the new pieces of paper and use one of the tools to hold them together.
Now which tool did you use?
Step 3
Try crushing a blueberry with one of the tools.
Which tool did you use for this step?
Step 4
Place a spoonful of rice onto a plate. Move the rice grains back into the bag one at a time using one of the tools.
Which tool did you use?
Try this: Use a different tool for this task. How useful is it, and how does this compare to birds with different beaks?
What Did You Learn About Bird Beaks?
As you went through each step of the experiment, did you notice that some tools worked better for some tasks?
Bird beaks are the same!
Birds have different beak shapes because those beaks are best for certain tasks!
For example, a larger beak can be used to break open nuts and other food better than a smaller beak.
On the other hand, longer beaks like those on herons, can be useful for birds that need to poke around in the water to find food.
As a general rule in life, a structure determines its function. This is a pattern seen across all animals!
Love animals? Check out Biodiversity for Kids!
