It’s the Australian pelican, which has a 50cm beak, almost the size of a person’s arm. With up to 1.8 meters in length and 2.5 meters in wingspan – the distance between the tips of the two wings -, the Australian pelican is also considered one of the largest birds in the world. It lives in lakes, rivers, swamps and coastal regions of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Here and there it can also be seen in New Zealand and some neighboring islands in the Pacific. His menu consists mainly of fish, but he does not dispense with appetizing shrimp or even baby sea turtles. Not only for pelicans but also for all birds, the main role of the beak is to help with food. The most common use is to pick up and hold food, but there are other more unusual functions. In birds of prey, such as eagles and hawks, the beak has the function of tearing the flesh of prey. The organ of parrots and macaws is suitable for opening fruits and crushing seeds – they use a kind of hook at the end of the beak to remove the pulp from the fruit.
MERGANSE
Serrated structure resembles mammalian teeth
1. Similar to a duck, the Merganser (Mergus sp.) has a hook-shaped curved tip at the top of its beak, which is very useful when catching its lunch.
2. But the merganser’s beak draws attention even for having a serrated inner part, reminiscent of the teeth of mammals. This prevents the fish, which are super smooth, from escaping
SWORD HUMMINGBIRD
When size matters when it comes to guaranteeing the range
1. The sword-billed hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) is the only species of bird that has a beak (about 10 cm) larger than its body (about 8 cm).
2. The superorgan is used to suck the nectar of flowers that have a corolla (set of petals) that is very large and tubular in shape
PELICAN
Spout, which holds 13 liters of water, is used as a fishing net
1. The lower part of the beak of the Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) looks like a leather pouch. It has the capacity to store up to 13 liters of water.
2. But this bag is not used as a “deposit”. The main function of the superbik is to serve as a kind of net in the water when the pelican goes fishing.
3. As the lower part of the beak has a very large area, this makes it easier to catch fish. After catching its lunch, the pelican opens its beak a little to let the water drain.
4. Then, moving its head, beak and neck, the bird adjusts the fish so that its head is pointed towards its throat. Then just swallow
TOUCAN
Beak has a spongy structure that makes it super light
1. Despite being large – about 20 cm -, a toucan’s beak only weighs 25 g. Even so, it is very resistant, as it has several layers of keratin, a protein also present in our nails and hair.
2. The light weight of the spout is because of its structure. It is made up of a kind of rigid foam interspersed with hollow spaces that make the toe light.
FLAMINGO
Small membranes help with upside down fishing
1. When fishing, the flamingo dips its head into the water, leaving it facing downwards. In this position, he moves the lower part of his beak up and down
2. The opening and closing of the lower beak pumps water against the upper jaw, which is filled with lamellae. These tiny membranes, which look like eyelashes, hold food in the flamingo’s mouth.