Today we are going to identify and understand how birds adapt given the different shapes of bird beaks. You will learning about different birds use their beaks to pick up food.
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Handful of 2 or more of the following - seeds, cheerios, gummi bears/swedish fish, M&M’s, almonds/nuts or just get creative.
Plastic container/bowl or plate
Try to use 2 of the following:
straw
chopsticks or tweezers
cotton swab
plastic spoon
plastic fork
Here are the questions you are trying to answer.
Through experimentation with models of bird beak shapes and different types of bird “food”, you can see how animals adapt to survive in their environment.
What do different types of birds eat? Insects, seeds
How does the shape and structure of a bird’s beak affect how and what it eats?
Step 2: Randomly place whatever pieces of food you are using such as the cheerios, gummy bears, etc in a small area. This is the bird food.
Step 3: Using 1 tool at a time (swab, tweezers, etc) pick up as much bird food as you can using the tool “beak” given to them.
After 2-3 minutes, time is up.
Step 8: What did you just learn through this experiment?
Adaptations are how a plant or animal is built or how it behaves that allow it to survive in its environment.
Two main types of adaptations: structural (or physical) and behavioral (how it acts).
A structural adaptation is part of the organism’s body (i.e. birds-wings, humans- index finger, thumbs).
Behavioral adaptations are the way the organism behaves that allows it to survive (i.e. birds-migration, opossum-plays dead).
Understanding animal adaptations leads to an understanding of how humans invent things to serve a need.
Now, do some of your own research and learn about different types of birds. Have fun!
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wChGsM-YsxA/maxresdefault.jpg)