Bird Beaks

Hi all,

We have recently been learning about adaptation, the process by which natural selection shapes the traits within a population of organisms to best fit their environment.  Adaptive traits are the features that allow an organism to be fit for its environment (to survive AND reproduce).

Today we are going to examine bird beaks.  Bird beaks are all shaped differently according to what the bird eats.  We can say that the beaks are adaptive - they are shaped by natural selection to allow the bird to eat its food.

Let's look at some different birds feeding:

Roseate Spoonbills - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RagmD8A6km8

Osprey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7-PMvRFBtQ

African Fish Eagle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0-gvT-w2Fc

Piping Plover - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcrEHmm68MM

Flamingo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07EyyVnyKrA

Pileated Woodpecker - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqnactkXx08

Hummingbird - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b31CAYF2fIA

Galapagos Penguins - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxR9hAz8XLw

Cormorant - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4o6ObM2E5w

Barn swallows - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fUu1L1rjS4

Pelican - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJxqkwTb5LA

Shearwaters - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wRpm5TTFI8