Birds do not have teeth. They cannot chew or bite. They eat with the help of their beaks. Different birds have different kinds of beaks. They are suited to the kind of food they eat.
Birds also use their beaks to smooth their feathers. This is called preening. Birds may use their beaks to carry building materials like mud, bits grass, twigs and other things to make their nests. They use their beaks push and pull materials into the right shape for the nest.
A parrot can easily crack open nuts and seeds with its strong curved beak. A parrot’s beak resembles a nutcracker.
A sparrow has a short pointed beak to pick up and crush seeds. A sparrow’s beak is like tweezers. Pigeons and peacocks also have similar beaks.
A heron eats fish. It has a long pointed beak; like a spear. It pokes the fish with its beak and lifts it out of the water.
A woodpecker taps the dark of the tree with its sharp pointed beak. It makes a hole in the bark to pull out insects to eat. Its bill is like a chisel.
A duck has a broad flat beak like a shovel. It scoops the muddy water it. The mud and the water flow out through holes on the sides. The little plants and insects from the muddy water stay inside the beak for the duck to eat.
A humming bird’s beak like a drinking straw. It is a long hollow tube. The humming bird sticks its long beak deep in to a flower and sips the nectar.
Eagles, vultures and owls kill small animals. They have strong sharp hooked beaks to tear up the flesh.
Birds use their claws to catch food and to protect themselves. They use them to sit on branches. Their feet and claws are suited for these functions. The feet and legs are covered with scales. Birds have two to four toes on each foot. Claws on the feet are used for grasping the prey, for perching, for scratching the ground or for fighting.
Crows, sparrows and blue jay perch on trees. They have tree toes in front and one at the back. They use the front toes like fingers and the back toe like our thumb. Their toes go round a branch to grip it firmly.
Cocks and hens find their food on the ground. They scratch the ground to eat insects and seeds. Their sharp and hard claws help them to dig.
Cranes and flamingos have long thin legs to wade through water.
Woodpeckers and parrots have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backwards. The back toes help them to grip as they climb trees. The front toes help them hold fruits to eat.
Birds such as ducks, swans and geese have webbed feet, which act like paddles in water. They help them in swimming.
Eagles and hawks have sharp, curved claws called talons. They use their talons to grip and carry small animals.
Emus and other flightless, fast running birds, have three toes on each foot. The ostrich is the only two-toed bird.
