SBI3U
LAB:
Battle of the Beaks
Purpose:
To learn about adaptive advantage, based on beak function, by simulating birds competing for various
foods.
Materials:
“BEAKS”: spoons, forceps, scissors and tongs
“FOOD”: marbles, cork stoppers, rubber bands, toothpicks
“STOMACH”: plastic cup
Procedure:
1. Working in groups of 4, each member gets a “stomach” and chooses a different “beak” to use.
2. You are to simulate the feeding of very hungry birds with different beaks and different foods. You can only obtain
food with your “beak”, and each food item must be placed one at a time into your “stomach”. The “stomach” must
remain upright at all times and not touch the food directly. No cheating!
3. Layout the “food” on the tray, prepare yourselves with your “beak” and “stomach”, and set a timer for 2 minutes.
4. Once the timer starts, work quickly but safely to “eat” as much “food” as you can while following the rules.
5. Once time is up, stop “feeding”, and tally your results of what was “eaten” in your “stomachs” in the table provided
under #1.
TABLE 1: Averages of “food” consumed using 4 different “beaks” to simulate birds feeding
TALLY OF FOOD
Marbles
Cork Stoppers
Rubber Bands
“BEAKS”
#1
#2
#3
Avg.
#1
#2
#3
Avg.
#1
#2
#3
Avg.
Spoon
Forceps
Scissors
Tongs
6.
7.
8.
9.
#1
Toothpicks
#2
#3
Avg.
Repeat another trial run with the same “beaks” for another 2 minutes and tally your results under #2.
Get results from another group and record their data under #3.
Calculate the average of food consumed by each “beak” with each “food”.
Suppose a drought caused a reduction in the amount of marbles available as food. Remove half of the marbles,
repeat 2 more trials with this change and record the data below.
TABLE 2: Averages of “food” consumed using 4 different “beaks” to simulate birds feeding and a reduction of marbles
TALLY OF FOOD
Marbles
Cork Stoppers
Rubber Bands
Toothpicks
“BEAKS”
#1
#2
Avg.
#1
#2
Avg.
#1
#2
Avg.
#1
#2
Avg.
Spoon
Forceps
Scissors
Tongs
TO SUBMIT:
OBSERVATIONS
Present the 2 sets of data (averages only) in a bar graph by using proper labels or a legend.
Include proper titles, labels, and notation!
[8C]
DISCUSSION
1. What did you notice about the feeding abilities of each “beak”?
[2C]
2. Did your “beak” have the same success rate with the same foods? Why or why not?
[2I]
3. Consider what happened after reducing the number of marbles to answer these questions:
a) Describe what happened to the success of each “beak” when there was a reduction in marbles and explain why it
occurred.
[4I]
b) Predict what would happen to the populations of each “bird” if they were to continue feeding with a reduction in
marbles. Explain.
[2I]
4. What would happen if the birds flew to an island where no birds had been before and the only food type available
was rubber bands? Which bird beak type would be most likely to be successful? Which bird beak type would be
most likely least successful? Explain your answer.
[3I]