CELS Outre ach Center
Le arning from na tur e – Le sson pla nning aid
K-5
Class room A id #: LS1 (14) - 1
Rev is ed: 1 1/29/06
Tea chers Guide for: Bird bea ks and fee t - clues to how they live a nd what they ea t!
Bi rds have d evel oped va riou s b eak and fee t ad aptations to hel p th em to l ive in thei r o wn un iqu e e nviro nmen ts.
TY PE O F BIR D
B EAK ADAPTATION
FOOT ADAPT AT IO N
Duck, Swan
A w ide flat beak is us eful for fi lt eri ng food out of
w ater , s uch as plant s, s eeds and smal l aquat ic l ife.
Webbed feet aid i n s wi mmi ng.
Eagle, haw k, owl
A s harp hooked beak is us ed for t eari ng fles h.
Pow erful, cur ved claw s aid i n catchi ng and h ol di ng prey.
Woodpecker
A l ong, s tr ong beak is us ed to dri ll hol es i n w ood t o fi nd
i nsect s.
Thi s s tr ong foot has tw o toes facing for war ds and tw o
toes facing b ackw ards wi th s hort cur ved claw s th at ai d in
grippi ng and cl imb ing t r ees .
Cardi nal , Fi nch
A s hort , t hick, conical beak i s used for cracking seeds
Toes curv e inw ar d to aid perchi ng on t r ee l imbs
Spar row
A s hort , del icate beak i s used for catchi ng ins ect s and
eat ing smal l seeds .
St rai ght- toed foot i s used for w alking on t he gr ound
Sandpiper
A l ong, s lender b eak is us ed to probe for crus taceans in
s and and mud.
St rai ght- toed foot i s used for w alking along t he s hor e
Hum mingbi rd
A v ery long, sl ender beak is us ed t o get nect ar fr om
fl ower s.
Toes curv e inw ar d to aid perchi ng on t r ee l imbs
Heron, Egr et
A s tr aight , heavy bil l is used pri mar ily for fis hing.
Long legs and long t oed feet hel p t hes e bi rd s w ade
thr ough w ater and tall mars h gras ses .
Par rot
A v ery thi ck , cur ved, coni cal b eak is us ed for cr acking
s eeds and nut s.
Toes curv e inw ar d to aid perchi ng on t r ee l imbs
Pel ican
A pouch beak is us ed t o s coop up fi sh. T he pouch then
contr acts t o s queeze out the w at er .
Webbed feet aid i n s wi mmi ng.
Robin, B lue Jay, Or iol e
A s tr aight , sl ender bi ll often i nd icates an om niv or ous
b ir d or an ins ect eater .
Dependi ng on t he bir d, i t may hav e ei th er a s tr aight -t oed
foot for w al ki ng on t he gr ound or a per chi ng foot
Grow with learning
CELS Outrea ch C enter
Lea rning fr om na ture – Les son pla nning aid
K-5
Clas sroom Aid #: LS1(14 ) - 2
Re vised: 11/28/0 6
TEACH ERS: All o rgan isms deve lop a daptati ons that he lp them to surviv e i n their en viron ment.
Can yo u gue ss wh at fo ods th ese bi rds eat by l oo ki ng at th e size an d shap e of thei r b eaks?
See the n ext p age for a stu den t versi on of thi s cl assroo m a id.
Mallard duck
Eagle
Parrots
Egret
Penguins
Swan
C ardinal
Pelican
Woodpecker
Ostrich
Owl
AN SWERS:
Ma lla rd du ck: vege ta ti on, seed s, fi sh / Parrots: nu ts, seed s, fruit / Swan: veg eta ti on, fi sh / Ca rdin al: se eds, frui t, in se cts /
Pe lic an: fish, aqu ati c v ege tatio n / Wood pecke r: in sects, see ds / Eag le: r oden ts an d other smal l game / E gret: aqu atic vege ta ti on, fi sh /
Pe ngu ins: aqu atic v egeta ti on, fi sh / Ostrich: vege ta ti on, i nsects, frui t / Owl : ro dents and sma ll gam e, i nsects
Grow with learning
Name:___________________________
Mallard duck
Parrots
Swan
C ardinal
Pelican
Woodpecker
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eagle
Egret
Penguins
Ostrich
Owl
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Cl as sroom A id #: LS 1(14) - 2
Rev ised: 11/ 28/06
Grow with learning