Birds: Adaptations of Beaks and Feet for Survival
1
2
To Study Of
Modification
Of
Beaks And Feet In Birds.
A) Beak-
Tearing And Piercing, Fruit Eating, Mud Probing, Fish Catching,
Wood Chiselling And Flower Probing
B) Feet-
Perching, Raptorial, Climbing, Swimming, Running
3
Modification Of
Beaks In Birds.
4
Tearing And Piercing Beak
The
carnivorous birds
which feed on
carrion and flesh
, have
short,
pointed sharp- edges, powerful, hooked beak
for
tearing flesh.
These beak operated by
well developed mandibular muscles.
E.g.
Eagle
,
Owls
,
Kites
,
Hawks
,
Vultures
,
etc.
5
Hawk
Kite
Owl
Eagle
Vulture
6
Fruit Eating Beak
Many
Birds feed on fruits
hence their
beak is adapted for breaking hard
fruits, Nuts, hard seeds.
In case of
Parrot beak is very sharp, massive and deeply hooked
and
extremely strong
.
It is useful for
Gnawing or breaking open hard seeds and Nuts.
The
Beak of Hornbill is very large, enormous, heavy and cubersome
.
E.g.
Parrot
,
Hornbill
,
etc.
7
Parrot
Hornbill
8
Mud Probing Beak
This type of
Beaks are very long, Slender and Slightly curved.
These are used as
probes for thrusting in the mud searching the food
which
usually aquatic Worms and Larvae.
These are commonly found in
Stilts
,
Sand-pipers
,
Jacanas
,
Curlews
,
etc.
9
Stilt
Sand- Piper
Jacana
Curlew
10
Fish Catching Beak
The
fish catching Beak is long, Narrow and Sharp
.
In
Cormorant the beak is slightly curved at the tip
and have
tooth- like
processes adapted for
capturing the fish.
In
Kingfisher the beak is long powerful and sharply pointed
to capture
fish, frogs, Tadpoles, Molluscs and other aquatic animals
.
E.g.
Herons
,
Kingfisher
,
Cormorants
,
Indian
darter
OR
Snakebirds
, etc.
11
Snakebird
Kingfisher
Cormorant
Heron
12
Wood Chiselling Beak
The
wood Chiselling beak are long, straight, stout and Chisel-
like.
These birds shows
thicken and shock absorbing skull bones
and
strong neck muscle.
This type of beak is
used for Chiselling and drilling into bark
OR
stem of trees for prey
such as
Insects and their larvae and for
Nest construction.
E.g.
Woodpecker
.
13
14
Flower Probing Beak
This
type of beak is long, narrow and pointed.
The birds which are
feeding on Nectar of flowers.
These are used for
flower probing and for sucking honey and insects
.
It is found in
Humming
bird
.
15
16
Modification Of
Feet In Birds.
17
a) Perching Feet
Majority of the birds
show
perching type of feet.
In this type,
three toes are directed forward
and they are
slender
.
While
one toe or hallux is posterior
which is
strongly opposable
so
that they can
securely faster the foot to a branch.
E.g.
Crow
,
Sparrow
,
Robins
,
Bulbul
,
Mynahs
, etc.
18
Bulbul
Robins
Mynahs
Crow
Sparrow
19
b) Running Feet
This feet found in birds are
adapted for running.
In this birds,
legs are very powerful and strong
and
number of toes are
reduced.
The
hind toe is elevated, reduced or absent.
In case of
Bustard
,
Emu
,
Rhea
and
Cassowary
only 3 toes
are present and
they are
directed forward.
Ostrich
has only
two toes
, of which the
outer one is smaller
and
without a
nail.
20
Rhea
Cassowary
Ostrich
Bustard
Emu
21
c) Climbing Feet
In many birds the
feet are used as a organ of grasping
and they
are also
adapted for climbing on vertical surface.
In this bird,
second and third toes are pointed forward
, while
the
first and the fourth toes are pointed backward.
E.g.
Parrot
,
Woodpecker
, etc.
22
Parrot
Woodpecker
23
d
) Swimming Feet
This feet
modified into 2 ways-
a) Swimming and diving type-
In this type
web is lobate and the toes are free.
Each toe is paddle like bordered on either side.
The
nails are flat
and in some cases
slightly curved.
E.g.
Coot, Grebe,
etc.
24
Coot
Grebe
25
b)
Swimming and Paddling type-
In this type,
feet are webbed
and adapted for
swimming and paddling
.
In
Cormorants
and
Pelicans
all the
four toes are connected
with
tough web
all along their length
.
In
Duck
and
Teal
all the
four toes are present
but the
first toe is
comparatively small.
Three anterior toes are connected
with a
tough web all along their
length.
26
Cormorant
Duck
Pelican
27
e) Raptorial Feet
These feet are particularly of the
carnivorous, predatory
birds like
Kites,
Eagle, Vulture,
Etc.
These birds have
strongly aloned feet for striking
and
grasping their prey.
The
toes are armed with strong, sharp
and
curve claws
.
In some bird
horny spines
and
Tylari
(
Sparrow
and
Hawks
) are present.
This spines are useful in
gripping slippery prey
such as
Fish, Frog.
28
Hawk
Kite
Eagle
Vulture
29
Thank
You
Explore the fascinating world of bird adaptations through the modification of beaks and feet. From tearing and piercing beaks to fruit-eating beaks, mud-probing beaks, fish-catching beaks, and wood chiselling beaks, discover how different bird species have evolved unique features to thrive in their environments. Stunning images accompany detailed descriptions of various bird beak and feet adaptations, showcasing the diversity and ingenuity of nature's creations.
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Presentation Transcript
Practical No.17 2 To Study Of Modification Of Beaks And Feet In Birds. A) Beak- Tearing And Piercing, Fruit Eating, Mud Probing, Fish Catching, Wood Chiselling And Flower Probing B) Feet- Perching, Raptorial, Climbing, Swimming, Running
3 Modification Of Beaks In Birds.
Tearing And Piercing Beak 4 The carnivorous birds which feed on carrion and flesh, have short, pointed sharp- edges, powerful, hooked beak for tearing flesh. These beak operated by well developed mandibular muscles. E.g. Eagle, Owls, Kites, Hawks, Vultures, etc.
5 Eagle Kite Owl Vulture Hawk
Fruit Eating Beak 6 Many Birds feed on fruits hence their beak is adapted for breaking hard fruits, Nuts, hard seeds. In case of Parrot beak is very sharp, massive and deeply hooked and extremely strong. It is useful for Gnawing or breaking open hard seeds and Nuts. The Beak of Hornbill is very large, enormous, heavy and cubersome. E.g. Parrot, Hornbill, etc.
7 Parrot Hornbill
Mud Probing Beak 8 This type of Beaks are very long, Slender and Slightly curved. These are used as probes for thrusting in the mud searching the food which usually aquatic Worms and Larvae. These are commonly found in Stilts, Sand-pipers, Jacanas, Curlews, etc.
9 Stilt Sand- Piper Jacana Curlew
Fish Catching Beak 10 The fish catching Beak is long, Narrow and Sharp. In Cormorant the beak is slightly curved at the tip and have tooth- like processes adapted for capturing the fish. In Kingfisher the beak is long powerful and sharply pointed to capture fish, frogs, Tadpoles, Molluscs and other aquatic animals. E.g. Herons, Kingfisher, Cormorants, Indian darter OR Snakebirds, etc.
11 Heron Kingfisher Cormorant Snakebird
Wood Chiselling Beak 12 The wood Chiselling beak are long, straight, stout and Chisel- like. These birds shows thicken and shock absorbing skull bones and strong neck muscle. This type of beak is used for Chiselling and drilling into bark OR stem of trees for prey such as Insects and their larvae and for Nest construction. E.g. Woodpecker.
Flower Probing Beak 14 This type of beak is long, narrow and pointed. The birds which are feeding on Nectar of flowers. These are used for flower probing and for sucking honey and insects. It is found in Humming bird.
16 Modification Of Feet In Birds.
a) Perching Feet 17 Majority of the birds show perching type of feet. In this type, three toes are directed forward and they are slender. While one toe or hallux is posterior which is strongly opposable so that they can securely faster the foot to a branch. E.g. Crow, Sparrow, Robins, Bulbul, Mynahs, etc.
18 Crow Sparrow Mynahs Robins Bulbul
b) Running Feet 19 This feet found in birds are adapted for running. In this birds, legs are very powerful and strong and number of toes are reduced. The hind toe is elevated, reduced or absent. In case of Bustard, Emu, Rhea and Cassowary only 3 toes are present and they are directed forward. Ostrich has only two toes, of which the outer one is smaller and without a nail.
20 Emu Bustard Rhea Cassowary Ostrich
c) Climbing Feet 21 In many birds the feet are used as a organ of grasping and they are also adapted for climbing on vertical surface. In this bird, second and third toes are pointed forward, while the first and the fourth toes are pointed backward. E.g. Parrot, Woodpecker, etc.
22 Parrot Woodpecker
d) Swimming Feet 23 This feet modified into 2 ways- a) Swimming and diving type- In this type web is lobate and the toes are free. Each toe is paddle like bordered on either side. The nails are flat and in some cases slightly curved. E.g. Coot, Grebe, etc.
24 Coot Grebe
25 b) Swimming and Paddling type- In this type, feet are webbed and adapted for swimming and paddling. In Cormorants and Pelicans all the four toes are connected with tough web all along their length. In Duck and Teal all the four toes are present but the first toe is comparatively small. Three anterior toes are connected with a tough web all along their length.
26 Cormorant Pelican Duck
e) Raptorial Feet 27 These feet are particularly of the carnivorous, predatory birds like Kites, Eagle, Vulture, Etc. These birds have strongly aloned feet for striking and grasping their prey. The toes are armed with strong, sharp and curve claws. In some bird horny spines and Tylari ( Sparrow and Hawks) are present. This spines are useful in gripping slippery prey such as Fish, Frog.
28 Kite Eagle Vulture Hawk
