Bird Beaks & Their Uses

African Spoonbill

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:Lakes, marshes, rivers, estuaries of Africa from Ethiopia to Kenya to South Africa as well as the lowlands of Madagascar.

DIET:Insects, larva, shellfish

ORDER: CiconiiformesFAMILY: ThreskiornithidaeGENUS: Platalea SPECIES: alba

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:Locally common on alkaline lakes in East and Central Africa, sometimes present in vast (up to a million) numbers. Very infrequent in coastal areas.

DIET:Herbivorous, feeding solely on Spirulina plantensis, one of the blue-green algae growing within a very limited range of pH: 10.4 - 10.5. They are surface feeders filtering the top inch or two of water where the spirulina is to be found with the deep-keeled bill that is specialized for very fine food particles. They swim well and are able to forage over the complete surface of a lake (the "swim and skim" technique).

Lesser Flamingo

ORDER: CiconiiformesFAMILY: Phoenicopteridae GENUS: Phoeniconaias SPECIES: minor

Yellow-Naped Amazon Parrot

ORDER: PsittaformesFAMILY: PsittacidaeGENUS: Amazona SPECIES: ochrocephala auropalliata

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:Along Pacific slope of Central America from eastern Oaxaca, southern Mexico, south to north-western Costa Rica.

DIET:Fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, blossoms, and probably leaf buds.

Speckled PigeonORDER: ColumbiformesFAMILY: ColumbidaeGENUS: Columba SPECIES: guinea

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:Wide distribution from Senegal to Eritrea and Tanzania. Also in South Africa north to Angola and Zimbabwe. Inhabits open country, cultivated regions and open woodland. Avoids forest. Usually in areas where there are Borassus palms or cliffs, rocky outcrops or buildings where it roosts and builds its nest.

DIET:Mainly a ground feeder. Feeds on seeds and cultivated grain.

White-Faced Whistling Duck

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:Widespread in Africa from Gambia and Ethiopia in the north to Natal and Madagascar. Also in the West Indies and South America. They occupy a wide range of habitats: fresh water lakes, dams, reservoirs, marshes, swamps, pans on flood plains, sewage farms.

DIET:Invertebrates such as aquatic insects, mollusks and crustaceans as well as aquatic plants, seeds and rice. Commonly obtain food by diving.

ORDER: AnseriformesFAMILY: AnatidaeGENUS: Dendrocygna SPECIES: viduata

Griffon Vulture

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:Widely distributed around the Mediterranean, ranging east into India and south across the savannas of Africa. Sometimes found as far north as the Scandinavian countries. Prefers barren areas with few trees, mountain steppes and high plateaus.

DIET:Feeds on large dead mammals, taking only muscle meat and viscera. Their distended crops and gizzards can hold over 13 pounds of meat at a time.

ORDER: CiconiiformesFAMILY: AccipitridaeGENUS: GypsSPECIES: fulvus

Red-Billed Hornbill

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:From Senegal right across Africa to Ethiopia and Somalia and south to Kenya and Tanzania. Also in South Africa, Botswana, Angola and Mozambique. Favors open savanna, woodland or thorn scrub.

DIET:Obtains almost all food on the ground while running about. Feeds largely on insects - beetles, grasshoppers, termites, ants, fly larvae. Also takes geckos, birds' eggs and nestlings and scavenges dead rodents.

ORDER: BucerotiformesFAMILY: BucerotidaeGENUS: Tockus SPECIES: erythrorhynchus

Hammerkop

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:South and Central Africa, South Arabia, lowland Madagascar. Shallow fresh water, lakes, ponds, and marshes.

DIET:Hammerkops feed on frogs, fish and invertebrates.

ORDER: CiconiiformesFAMILY: ScopidaeGENUS: ScopusSPECIES: umbretta

Egyptian Goose

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:Inhabits Africa south of the Sahara, the Nile Valley, and southern Israel. Common anywhere except deep forest and desert, usually near water, sometimes on open plains. The only species of Shelduck found north of the equator.

DIET:Feeds on crops and young grass.

ORDER: AnseriformesFAMILY: AnatidaeGENUS: AlopochenSPECIES: aegyptiacus

Chestnut Mandibled Toucan

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:Humid forest edge. Lowlands to 2000 meters in Central and NW South America (Honduras to western Ecquador).

DIET:Primarily fruit and berries, but supplemented with large insects, small reptiles and amphibians, as well as the eggs and young of other birds.

ORDER: PiciformesFAMILY: RamphastidaeGENUS: Ramphastos SPECIES: swainsonii

Blue & Yellow Macaw

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:Panama and South America to northern Argentina. Inhabits forests and tall palms growing in swamps or along water courses.

DIET:Seeds, fruits, nuts and probably vegetable matter.

ORDER: PsittaciformesFAMILY: PsittacidaeGENUS: AraSPECIES: ararauna

King PenguinORDER: SphenisciformesFAMILY: SpheniscidaeGENUS: AptenodytesSPECIES: patagonicus

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT: King Penguins breed on the Subantarctic islands at the northern reaches of Antarctica, as well as Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands, and other temperate islands of the region.

DIET: King penguins eat small fish mainly lanternfish and squid and rely less than most Southern Ocean predators on krill and other crustaceans.

Magellanic Penguin

ORDER: SphenisciformesFAMILY: SpheniscidaeGENUS: SpheniscusSPECIES: magellanicus

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT: The Magellanic Penguin is a South American penguin, breeding in coastal Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands, with some migrating to Brazil.

DIET: Magellanic Penguins feed in the water, preying on cuttlefish, sardines, squid, krill, and other crustaceans.

Can you match the beak with the food it catches?