Beaks


 * [[image:http://fernbank.edu/Birding/pics/bird_b4.gif width="175" height="111" caption="beak"]] || A cone shaped bill is found in many birds such as finches and grosbeaks. It is a strong beak used for cracking seeds. ||
 * [[image:http://fernbank.edu/Birding/pics/bird_b5.gif width="97" height="73" caption="beak"]] || Thin, slender, pointed beaks are found mainly in insect eaters. They are used to pick insects off leaves, twigs, and bark. This warbler is a good example. ||
 * [[image:http://fernbank.edu/Birding/pics/bird_b6.gif width="175" height="81" caption="beak"]] || Woodpeckers have strong beaks which taper to the tip, forming a chisel for pecking holes in trees for food or nests. Most feed on insects which live under the bark. ||
 * [[image:http://fernbank.edu/Birding/pics/009i.jpg width="175" height="67" align="bottom" caption="hummingbird"]] || Hummingbirds have long, tubular bills that resemble straws, which they use to sip nectar from flowers. ||
 * [[image:http://fernbank.edu/Birding/pics/bird_b7.jpg width="200" height="106" caption="beak"]] || Mergansers, specialized for eating fish, have sharp tooth-like structures on the edge of the bill to hold fish tightly. ||
 * [[image:http://fernbank.edu/Birding/pics/009b.jpg width="175" height="110" align="bottom" caption="eagle"]] || Hawks, owls, and other birds of prey which catch and kill live prey have sharp, "hooked" beaks. These are used to bite the skull or neck and also to tear the body into pieces small enough to swallow. ||
 * [[image:http://fernbank.edu/Birding/pics/009e.jpg width="175" height="87" align="bottom" caption="Mallard"]] || The edges of a Mallard's bill are fringed to strain plants, seeds, and small animals from mud and water. ||
 * [[image:http://fernbank.edu/Birding/pics/009a.jpg width="135" height="79" caption="beak"]] || Beaks which are flat and wide at the base are found in birds which catch insects in flight, such as flycatchers. These birds also often have whiskers at the corners of the mouth, which effectively widens the mouth opening, allowing more effective capture of prey. ||