Chopsticks and Bird Beaks

What do bird beaks and chopsticks have in common you ask? Well, they are part of a really fun demonstration on how birds eat.

What You Need For This Demonstration:

Chopsticks
Popsicle sticks
Different sized small opjects
(such as spaghetti, rice, seeds, a cookie, jello, nuts and bolts, etc.)

Directions For This Demonstration:

1. First, try and use the chopsticks to pick up the small objects you chose.

Describe what you could pick up easily. What was more difficult to pick up? What could you not pick up with the chopsticks at all?

2. Now use the Popsicle sticks the same way. Describe what you could pick up easily. What was more difficult to pick up? What could you not pick up with the Popsicle sticks at all?



Birds mainly use their mouths to feed. Some will use their feet to hold their food, but not all of them. Some can only use their beaks. The shapes of their beaks will often determine what kind of foods they can eat.

Did you notice the difference between using the chopsticks and the Popsicle sticks?

Think about what shape beaks different kinds of birds have … ducks, hawks, flamingoes, pelicans, etc. Now, find out what kinds of foods these birds eat. Do you see a correlation between the shape of their beaks and what they ate?

Is there a difference in the shape between birds of prey and birds that only eat berries and other vegetation?

[Hint: Hold down arrow buttons to turn carousel.]

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