Birds With Strange Beaks

Birds with strange beaks can look totally bizarre. However those weird looking beaks are actually highly specialized tools. So here are some of the birds with the strangest beaks of all, along with what you’ll want to know about them.

Spoonbill

Spoonbills are wading birds which have large flat beaks with broad rounded ends that are similar in appearance to a spoon. These weird-looking beaks are used to catch food by touch. Spoonbills move their beaks from left to right under the water and as soon as they touch a small fish, crustacean, or insect they close it on their meal.

Ibis

Ibises feed on both land and water. And their long thin downward curving beak allows them to probe for insects and crustaceans. Because their nostrils are located at the base of their beak, instead of the tip, they can actually breathe while their beak is under the water or mud.

Avocet

Avocets are small shorebirds that include four species. Their strange looking beaks curve upwards. And they use them to catch insects and other small aquatic creatures by sweeping them from side to side in the water.

Pelican

Pelicans have a large pouch of naked skin that is attached to the lower half of their beak. They are one of the only bird species in the world with a pouch. They use their beaks to scoop up fish just like a net. Pelicans can also keep themselves cool when it gets hot by opening their beak and flapping their pouch.

Hornbill

Hornbills are a family of birds with strange beaks. Many species have a horn-like projection called a casque, on top of their beak. While for some species the casque is believed to only function as support for the beak, in others it is used to help amplify their calls. Others like the helmeted hornbill use it as a battering ram during aerial jousts with rivals.

Greylag Goose

The serrations on the beaks of greylag geese may be scary looking but they aren’t something to be feared. The geese use these serrations to help them cut grass, which is one of their favorite foods. You can sometimes even spot greylags eating it in pastures right alongside the cows.

Puffin

Puffins are small birds with short wings that belong to the auk family. They are sometimes mistaken for penguins. There are three species, all of which have large beaks. Their beaks actually become thicker and more colorful during the breeding season which helps them to attract mates.

Toucan

The toucan is a bird with a strange beak that can also be quite colorful depending on the species. Their beaks are large and long. They are also serrated to help toucans eat fruit. And because their beaks are lightweight yet long it allows the birds to get close enough to grab fruit by perching even on very thin branches.

Black Skimmer

Black skimmers are tern-like seabirds. And they are the only bird on the planet that has a lower beak that is longer than their upper beak. Black skimmers fly above the water and use their long lower beak to skim the surface for food such as small fish, which they catch by touch.

Crossbill

Crossbills are small birds in the finch family. Unlike most other birds, the tips of their upper and lower beak are crossed. And this is of course how they got their name. This special beak allows the crossbill to extract seeds from the cones of conifer trees to feed on.

Flamingo

Flamingos are probably the most recognizable pink birds in the world. However, while they are well-known for their pink color many people overlook the fact that they are also birds with strange beaks. The flamingo feeds on plankton and other small organisms.

Its unique beak is bent downward and allows the flamingo to stick its head into the water and suck in water and mud. The briny plates inside the beak, known as lamellae, filter out and catch food while the mud and water are expelled from the sides of the beak.

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